Disability News and Advocacy in India

A recent study conducted by the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) has revealed that relief failed to reach people with disabilities in the earthquake-affected areas of Kashmir and that the State administration had not been sensitised to the needs of the differently-abled.

In an attempt to get the disabled included in the long-term rehabilitation plans of the Government, a team of NCPEDP visited the quake-affected areas for a first hand assessment of the rehabilitation process with special focus on people with disabilities.

According to the report that has been submitted to the Prime Minister, there was lack of communication and information among the various agencies involved in relief work.

While pointing out that the number of disabled persons in the State was likely to increase following the work, the report accuses the State Government of making no effort in integrating the disabled in the rehabilitation.

Recommending the collection of data on disabled people affected by the quake, the report suggests immediate convening of a meeting of civil society representatives and experts in the field of disability and asks for concrete and time bounds plans to address concerns in revival of livelihood.

The team also felt that the Government should enforce the Disability Act in the State and build disabled friendly shelters.

"It was a clear display of the Darwinian theory of the survival of the fittest. When it came to relief distribution, for the most part was a hit-and-run drill of dumping relief material by NGOs, political parties and charitable trusts. This scene was apparent all along the National Highway No. 1/A from Baramulla onwards,'' said Parvinder Singh, the senior project coordinator of the Kashmir visit. He further added that "though there was plenty, the takers of the relief material distributed through this method, were ironically very limited in number. These were largely young boys who could slug it out in the jostling crowd. We saw this at least at a dozen points starting from the outskirts of Uri.''