'Ill-equipped public places tough for disabled people'

AURANGABAD: The city's social activists have rued that public spaces in Aurangabad are grossly lacking in basic facilities for people with disabilities. On the occasion of World Cerebral Palsy Day observed on October 7, several activists say that for a person with disabilities, an everyday visit to a public office is a daunting prospect.
"Public offices care little for the disabled.Lifts, absence of ramps and wheelchairs are common across Aurangabad's citizen service centres, public utility building, collector office and Central and Cidco bus stand, schools and hospitals," said Aditi Shardul, project head of Vihang, a multi-disciplinary group in Omkar Balwadi, which assists differently-abled children to overcome difficulties in learning and overall development.
The routine denial of basic rights of the disabled all across the city -- whether it be access to buildings or priority access to safety routes during an emergency -- is a cause for concern. The Maharashtra State unit President, Disabled Cell, Suhas Tendulkar, who uses a wheelchair, said, "We do not have access to all the floors of public buildings. And rarely do we find a helping hand on our visits to public places."
"As most of the schools have staircase and no ramps or lifts, it becomes difficult for a child with cerebral palsy (CP) to procure education in schools. Moreover, our roads are so bad that a normal car tyre bursts, so there is no free access for a wheel chair. There is lack of lifts and ramps in most buildings and understanding about CP is very low. There are daily slights from people who mistake cerebral palsy for polio. Facilities of a writer, audio visual learning for students having cerebral palsy is overlooked by schools," Shardul said.
"CP is a complex, lifelong disability. It primarily affects movement, but people with CP may also have visual, learning, hearing, speech, epilepsy and intellectual impairments. In certain cases, people have a little difficulty in controlling their movements or speech and may need 24-hour assistance," said Sanjeev Saoji, Aurangabad chapter Indian Medical Association president (IMA).