ÿþ<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <title>Organisational News</title> <link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css" type="text/css"> </head> <body> <a name="top"> </a> <table border="0"> <tr> <td width="10%"> <img src="logo.jpg" vspace="5" hspace="10" align="middle" alt="Logo" width="125" height="125"></td> <td align="center"><strong>Blind Persons' Association</strong><br><br><em>The premier organisation of and for the sightless in West Bengal</em></td> </tr> </table> <div id="navigation"> <ul> <li><a href="#general">Skip navigation</a></li> <li><a href="history.htm">A Brief History of Blind Persons' Association</a></li> <li><a href="tribute.htm">A Tribute to Louis Braille</a></li> <li><a href="sketch.htm">Chronological Sketches</a></li> <li><a href="charu.htm">A Tribute To Charu Chandra Bose</a></li> <li><a href="articles.htm">Various Articles on the Problems of Blindness</a></li> <li><a href="annrep.htm">Latest Annual Report of the Association</a></li> <li><a href="booklist.htm">Braille Books</a></li> <li><a href="audiolist.htm">Audio Books</a></li> <li><a href="scholarship.htm">Kamalendu Bhattacharya Memorial Scholarship</a></li> <li><a href="tax.htm">Income Tax Benefit for Donors</a></li> <li><a href="brl.htm">Learn Braille System</a></li> <li><a href="contact.htm">Contact Information</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="general"> <h1 class="c1">Organisational News</h1> <p class=c2>Here are brief reports on the activities of the organisation during last year and other news items of interest to the sightless community.</p> <h2 id="latest">Sightless Students Demonstration for Increase in Scholarship</h2> <br>December 22, 2011 <p>Sightless students are not getting the scholarship in time. A number of students demonstrating under the banner of Pashchimbanga Pratibandhi Aikya Mancha brought this allegation against the Ministry of Mass Education, West Bengal. They shouted slogan in front of Vikash Bhaban at Salt Lake, the official seat of the concerned minister. The Mancha further alleged that they had intimated the ministry on December 14 about their demonstration today. The minister, Shri Abdul Karim Choudhury, did not come to the office today at all.</p> <p>The students demanded that the scholarship should be disbursed within the first three months of an academic year. It must be raised to the level of the scholarship at par with the amount granted by the Union Ministry of Social Justice. It must also be equal in all districts. The upper limit of family income must be raised from the present meager amount of Rs.&nbsp;2,000 to Rs.&nbsp;15,000. Pashchimbanga Pratibandhi Aikya Mancha decided to continue their movement until the demands are achieved.</p> <h2>Condolence Meeting for the AMRI Victims</h2> <br>December 11, 2011 <p>Today members, volunteers and well-wishers of Blind Persons Association gathered in front of their Central Office at 6B Panchanantala Road to offer condolence to the memory of those killed in the devastating fire at the AMRI hospital on December 9. Floral wreathes were offered to the memorial altar on behalf of the Association and its three blind schools. Two minutes silence was observed to pay homage to the memory of the ill-fated victims. Shri Kinkar Ghosh, President of the organization, expressed profound sympathy with the bereaved families in his address. He hoped that the government would take stringent precautionary measures to prevent any such incident in future.</p> <h2>Civic Convention for Joint Movement</h2> <br />November 30, 2011 <p>Blind Persons' Association organised a civic convention today along with other fraternal organisations as a campaign for the joint movement for securing the rights of the disabled persons. Pashchimbanga Pratibandhi Aikya Mancha, a joint forum of the following organisations <br />Blind Persons' Association, <br />Bankura Sharirik Pratibandhi Unyayan Samity, <br />Shaoraphuli Handicapped Development Society, and <br />Louis Braille Association for the Blind <br />Has called for a joint movement for securing the legitimate rights of the disabled people in West Bengal. There are several provisions for them in black and white. But in most cases the needy remain deprived of the benefits. In some cases, these provisions are too insufficient.</p> <p>This convention at the Indian Association hall witnessed the formation of the first elected body of the Pashchimbanga Pratibandhi Aikya Mancha. Shri Ajit Bir became the President and Shri Buddhadev Sikdar and Shri Ranjit Maity became the Joint Secretaries. Renowned professor Dr. Miratun Nahar, ex-Member of the State Women's Commission and Dr. Sujay Basu, Director, Institute of Energy studies, JU, were present in the meeting. The convention laid emphasis on launching a movement for <br>Implementation of 3% job reservation under the state government, <br>Relaxation of minimum qualifying marks in public competitive examinations (in line with the provisions for SC and ST candidates), <br>Appointment of successful visually challenged candidates as primary teachers, <br>Regularisation and increase of scholarship to physically challenged students with relaxation of family income limit as per central government norms, <br>Provision of unemployment benefit to unemployed physically challenged persons, <br>Provision of ramp at public buildings, and so on.</p> <h2>Central Office Shifted to New Address</h2> <br>October 13, 2011 <p>The Central Office of Blind Persons' Association at 10/2, Shamsul Huda Road, Kolkata 700017 is being shifted on October 13, 2011 to the newly purchased flat near Goalpark. Here is the new address: <br>Blind Persons' Association <br>6B Panchanantala Road, 2nd Floor, <br>Kolkata - 700029</p> <p>This office is in fact part of the proposed resource centre of the organisation. It will start functioning soon.</p> <p>The organisation has started a podcast site with some of its Bengali stories recorded for its library of audio books. You can listen to or download these stories at<br> <a href="http://bpaindia.podbean.com">http://bpaindia.podbean.com</a></p> <h2>All Bengal Swimming Competition for the Sightless</h2> <br>August 13, 2011 <p>Today Blind Persons' Association organised its 7th All Bengal Aquatic Meet for the sightless at Life Saving Society (Andersen Club) in Kolkata. Though badly hampered by rains, about 100 participants took part in various events.</p> <h2>Braille Ballots for Sightless Voters in the Assembly Poll in West Bengal</h2> <br>April 11, 2011 <p>West Bengal is going on assembly poll for electing its legislature in April and May in six phases. Voters of the state will elect 294 representatives to the Legislative Assembly. The sightless voters will be supplied with a list of the contesting candidates at the polling booth. This list will contain in Braille serial numbers, names and party affiliation of the candidates. These serial numbers will correspond with the buttons on the electronic voting machine (EVM). Moreover, the buttons on the EVM will also have Braille labels.</p> <p>This is not something absolutely new in the state. In the last Assembly election in 2006, dummy Braille ballots were arranged in two constituencies. In the Lok-Sabha election in 2009, there were dummy Braille ballots in all the polling booths of India including West Bengal. However, hardly a small section of thousands of sightless voters know what Braille system is and a smaller section knows actual Braille system. Can we expect equal emphasis on Braille in national programmes of literacy campaign amd education?</p> <h2>BPA Demands 1% Job Reservation for Visually Handicapped Candidates in the Grade of Primary Teacher</h2> <br>February 17, 2011 <p>More than a hundred visually handicapped persons took part in a rally organised by Blind Persons' Association today (February 17, 2011) demanding implementation of 1% job reservation for vh candidates in the grade of primary teacher in West Bengal. Although the state government has accepted demand for reservation for all communities, in cases without any form of demand, in a pre-election scenario, it has ignored the legal provision of 1% job reservation for the vh people. Section 33(I) of the Persons With Disabilities Act, 1995 reserves 1% posts for vh candidates out of 3% for physically handicapped candidates in government jobs. The primary education boards of different districts of West Bengal have deprived such candidates of their bona fide rights. The initial advertisement published in the Anandabazar Patrika of August 30, 2009 did not refer to any form of reservation for vh candidates in particular. Posts were later declared reserved for the vh after protest in most cases.</p> <p>In Nadia district, vh candidates were driven out of the board's office on June 24, 2010 by police when they demanded admit cards for the written examination. The Association drew attention of Shri Partha Dey, the Hon'ble School Education Minister to this incident on June 30, 2010. He, however, did not feel it necessary to even acknowledge the receipt of the letter. In consequence, these candidates were not issued admit cards at all.</p> <p>In Coochbehar, at least 14 vh candidates with 100% disability successfully passed the written test held on June 12, 2010. They appeared at the interview held on August 18, 2010. When the results were declared on January 31, 2011, none of the vh candidates was allowed, although 11 posts were reserved for them.</p> <p>In Murshidabad district, a vh girl passed the written and oral tests and received her well-deserved appointment letter. But she was never allowed to join her service. Results of successful vh examinees are still withheld in Bardhaman district. Officials of different district councils or boards hardly cooperated with the vh candidates when they went to enquire of their arrangements for scribe etc. They insisted that there was no reservation for 100% vh candidates. As a result, many of them did not appear at the written tests.</p> <p>These are just a few instances of denial. It was not totally unexpected as the Hon'ble School Education Minister, Shri Partha Dey, said to the Anandabazar Patrika, dated June 25, 2010 that there is no provision of reservation for totally sightless persons in the posts of primary teachers.</p> <p>The Notification No. 75 dated March 15, 2007 issued by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment recommends the post of primary teacher as a suitable job for both blind and low vision persons on the basis of a survey by an expert committee. Vh candidates are allowed 1% reservation in the posts of all teachers including primary teachers by Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan. There are instances of vh teachers teaching in primary schools in West Bengal.</p> <p>Blind Persons' Association submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister demanding, among other things, 1% posts of Primary Teachers in all districts of West Bengal for the vh (including persons with 100% disability) as per provision of Section 33(I) of the Persons With Disabilities Act, 1995.</p> <p>A procession marched from Subodh Mallick Square to Esplanade and a deputation led by Shri Budhadev Sikdar, the General Secretary of the Association, submitted the memorandum. The CM did not meet the delegates in spite of prior intimation. The organisation is also thinking of suing the Kolkata High Court in this matter.</p> <h2>West Bengal Government Accepts BPA's Proposal for Louis Braille's Statue in Kolkata</h2> <br>January 20, 2011 <p>Blind Persons Association requested the West Bengal government in 2009 to set up a statue of Monsieur Louis Braille at a prominent location in Kolkata as a mark of respect to this inventor during his birth bicentenary. Shri Kshiti Goswami, the state PWD Minister, agreed on setting up a marble statue. The Association requested the Municipal Corporation of Kolkata to allocate the space. Though the Association suggested College Square for the location of the statue, as it is still the centre of education and culture of the city, the Corporation rejected the proposed site for lack of space. The organisation recently approached the Corporation again suggesting Jyotin Das Park as a new location. Kolkata Corporation has accepted the new site. If everything goes right, Braille s bust may be seen in Kolkata in near future. However, neither the state government nor the Kolkata Corporation said how long it will take.</p> <h2>Railway Is Discriminating between Blind and Low Vision Candidates</h2> <br>January 17, 2011 <p>The Employment Notice No. SER/RRC/2/2010, Dated 15-12-2010 for recruitment in South Eastern Railway published at www.serailway.gov.in is another instance of discrimination between blind and low vision candidates. The Employment Notice includes  Special Recruitment Drive for Persons With Disabilities . But the medical standard of vision laid down for low vision (LV) candidates practically precludes genuine visually impaired candidates. The said notice reserves 65 posts of Station Peon / Safaiwala, Cleaner, Helper-II. But the vision specified for these posts is C-1.</p> <p>C-1 vision, according to Indian Railway Medical Journal, means 6/12, 6/18 with or without glasses for both distant and near vision. A person having C-1 vision can hardly qualify for certificate with 50% disability. It falls far short of the medical standard of 6/60 vision of legally blind persons.</p> <p>The said Employment Notice has quoted the definition of Blindness from Section 2 of the Persons With Disability act, 1995 without showing proper regard to its implication. It says:</p> <p>(a) Blindness: 'Blindness' refers to a condition where a person suffers from any of the following conditions, namely: <br>(i) total absence of sight; or <br>(ii) visual acuity not exceeding 6/60 or 20/200 (Snellen) in the better eye with correcting lenses; or <br>(iii) limitation of the field of vision subtending an angle of 20 degree or worse.</p> <p>(b) Low vision: 'Person with low vision* means a person with impairment of visual functioning even after treatment or standard refractive correction but who uses or is potentially capable of using vision for the planning or execution of a task with appropriate assistive device.</p> <p>A number of totally blind persons and persons with 6/60 or less vision have been working in railway workshops and offices. But the Railway has overlooked these instances and has not reserved any post for genuine visually handicapped candidates, defying the provisions of the Persons With Disability Act, 1995. Several notifications have been issued recently for recruitment in the Railway. But bona fide visually handicapped candidates have remained deprived of 1% reservation as per Section 33(I) of the Persons With Disability Act, 1995.</p> <p>The Employment Notice No. 0110 Dated 14-12-2010 for recruitment in the eastern Railway published in their web site at www.rrcer.com has gone another step further. This Notice reserves 420 posts of Parcel Porter, Helper Gr.II (Mech), Helper Gr.II (Elec), and Safaiwala (Med) for persons with disability. However, the vision specified for the 1st and 4th posts is C-1, while the 2nd and 3rd posts require B-1 vision. We have already seen what C-1 vision means. B-1 vision is 6/9 or 6/12 with or without glasses. B-1 vision may not qualify for 40% disability.</p> <p>Blind Persons Association initially tried to contact the management of the Recruitment Cells of both the railways in Kolkata for an explanation on the matter. They refused to cooperate. The Association has appealed to Smt. Mamata Banerjee, the Railway Minister for her interference. It is not clear whether if Railway is going to relax their medical standard of vision for the genuine candidates. Although the PWD Act, 1995 has accepted the low vision people as a category, it does not imply that Railway can recruit persons from this category alone. On one hand, both the notices have quoted definition of blindness directly from the Act; while on the other hand, they are denying a well-deserved right to the legally blind candidates.</p> <h2>Celebration of Tagore s 150th Birth Anniversary</h2> <br>January 1, 2011 <p>Blind Persons Association has taken up a series of programmes to observe the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, the renowned Bengali poet and the first Nobel laureate of India. The Association inaugurated the celebration through a cultural function at Indumati Sabhagriha at Jadabpur, Kolkata today. Professor Anasuya Mukhopadhyay, an eminent artist of Nazrulgiti, presided over the function and Shri Pradeep Ghosh, noted for his recitation, was the chief guest. Members and well-wishers of the organisation paid tribute to the poet through their performances.</p> <p>Shri Sukanti Majumdar, a senior organiser of the Association, delivered the keynote address on this occasion. He explained how the sightless people can benefit from Tagore s life by following his responses to social problems and his dedication to the cause of education. The Association announced the schedule of a cultural competition on 19th and 20th February, 2011. The first-ever Braille edition of "Jibansmriti", the poet's autobiography, was released on this occasion. His "Chokher Bali" was embossed in Braille by this organisation in 2004. It was the first novel in Bengali Braille.</p> <br><br><a href="#top">Return to top</a> <br>Return to our <a href="default.html">Homepage</a> </div> </body> </html>