Mending the shattered dream! As a young boy in college my great desire was to serve people and work in villages! This was a passion which I developed as a teenager. As I completed my under grad and planning to step into post-graduation I was keen to do Masters in Social Work. I started visiting a few universities looking for opportunities. For a blind student it was not as simple as applying as I needed to check the facilities for blind students as in those days higher studies was a challenge in terms of reading and gathering notes. Technology was not advanced as today, I used the traditional tape recording method and listened to pre-recorded books or notes which had to be laboriously recorded, and I did not take any notes in class and listened to the pre-recorded tapes to prepare for exams. Few universities in Karnataka shut the doors for me on my face on the pretext that they did not have specific facility for blind students. I visited Mysore University with my mother one day. I don’t remember who we met now but it was one staff of the MSW department who praised my efforts of completing bachelors, and stated that there are 2 seats for outsiders but that the seat cannot be offered to me as I am blind. As I heard this my dreams were shattered, I asked him the reason and he explained that it will be difficult for me as a blind person to travel and work in slums and villages as social work course demanded considerable mobility from students as part of field work. As though comforting me, he further stated that he can offer a seat in the sociology department as it does not entail travel and will be good for me. I was in tears! The journey back to Bangalore by bus was very long as I almost had no hope, it was a long drawn dream of mine to study social work and become a professional social worker. All that went in my mind was “who is he to decide” “I am willing to take the challenge” but on the other side was almost sure the doors for my future was shut. As a final resort I then applied to Madras Christian College and everything else is history; As I reflect back, after 20 years of this incident, on the last count I have travelled across 140 districts in India, across 22 states and countless villages and slums for work! The shattered dreams was mended! And the learning ever since has been not to be judgemental and build awareness on disability amongst general population which I have been practising ever since!

Post titleDigital India; is it a reality or a farce;

as we are poised as a nation to take on the digital challenge with the PM flagging off the digital India last week. A good progress in country but reflecting from my experiences I am a bit perplexed and confused. Lets examine the following in detail *Mobile network: there is penetration of mobile network in most of India however avid travelers like me will agree that it is very difficult to get network coverage in many rural areas. I was in Bhundelkhand last week and very poor network from even the state owned BSNL and also Airtel was not great either. Even living in DELHI we find it hard to connect to MTNL and sometimes other private operators when we are indoors. *Mobile banking: a key highlight of the digital india vision; after being educated for over 20 years in English medium and also learning hindi for the past 15 years I am now able to maneuver the IVR section on any tele banking system. Do we expect the illiterate citizens of the country to navigate this who find it challenging even to use a mobile phone in terms of calling a number and who do not even send a message. Are we talking about digital india for only the 25 – 30 per cent of the populous! Also we find it really complex in managing accounts with IFSC codes and online systems will it be ever possible for majority of population who does not have computer or internet literacy!!! When we go to State Bank of India most of the time we are told off that the computer lynk is not working and we need to wait for hours or even turn back and walk away to come again another day!!! *Major announcements last week? Over INR4500 crore commitment for digital India and creation of 18,000 jobs! Will this educate rural masses to become computer or mobile litrate, in my view a big no It only focuses on building the infrastructure!!! Poor women, farmers, disabled people will all be left out in the race! *E-health and e-education! In implementing of such initiatives I have experienced the intencity of engagement and requirements of human, technological and financial resources for such a system! We are looking at e-health when the primary health centers, the sub centers and community health centers have not attained their capacity in reaching out to the poor people across the 6,00,000 panchayats across the country. SO are they telling us a scenario wherein a pregnant mother can call a number and get information on IFA tablets, immunizations required ETC………. or a child will be educated in rural deogarh Jharkhand from a video conferencing facility located in Delhi?........ A big Fars in a country where in inter mediate learning and face to face education is appalling. A child of class 5 cannot read even text books of class 1 and 2! The expectation is through digital e-education this will change????? *Digital lockers: again a farse, what happens to the security of all our personal data and information/ the PM himself stated in his latest speech that we need to work on syber security, how can the digital locker facility be safe and safe guard our personal documentation!!! I am not totally against digital india, we need to be more pragmatic and practical to attain this and I hope the government realizes its importance and role out. Praveen Kumar G. July 2015

an experience taking the Delhi Metro

An experience riding the Delhi metro I generally do not take the metro ride but this time by close of year end planned to take the metro and experience it. Sharing my experiences from a perspective of a visually impaired passenger! On 26 December, going to AADI in Green Park from Kishangarh In the morning generally my head is filled with the challenge of getting out of the house, this is a trivial aspect for many but for a visually impaired person it is always a challenge as I need to think of how do I get to the bus stand or auto stand walking alone. The fear is not of falling down or going astray, the fear is of being attacked by stray or street dogs as when they look at a person walking with a white cane then tend to be feared and hence bark and attack, the other ofcourse is of being run down by a zooming vehicle which is not of a major fear to me as I have also walked in the middle of small roads!! Earlier I used to depend on someone to drop me to the auto or bus from home but now I stopped caring about this much and just take off with my white cane!!! Now once overcoming the challenge of this fear I reached the bus stop was helped by a passerby to reach and board the bus number 604 to Chhattarpur, bought my ticket and sat near the window. Was listening to the hustle bustle of the crowd and with the cold wind in Delhi’s winter enjoyed the ride as much as it was warm inside the bus. When the time came to get down someone announced that this was Chhattarpur metro, now the point lingered in my mind I need to find someone to guide me to the metro train as there was no way I could get up there on my own. This was simple, just had to shout for help so in Hindi I asked after getting off the bus, can anyone drop me to the metro? (Bhaiya thoda metro tak choodengy) there was a hand which pulled me and said yes come (chaliyea). This was welcoming and easy I thought! He first held me in my hand trying to pull me but I had to state to him the guiding technique and insist that I hold his elbow and not him holding me. This was good for a start but in between he tried to pull me and hold me but again I had to insist that he will be in front and I will hold his elbow and I am comfortable with this. I had my stick out on my right hand and holding him on the left so that I was confident of being guided! And being safe!!! We passed some stairs and then went across the long passage through. He then dropped me till the security gate and asked me to put off my bag for checking through the x-ray. I was not comfortable as how can I leave my bag with a stranger, so I found a way, I crossed the x-ray check point frisked and gave the security gard my bag so that I am sure I will get it back. This was done. By this time my first philosophical deo had left – guess he was in a hurry. Then I had to ask for help again. “Bhaiya toda metro tak pohanchasakte hai”can you drop me to the metro please. Other gentlemen offered, gentlemen or not I don’t know only stating so for the fact that he offered to drop me – my second philosophical deo! He then guided me through the ticket barricade which was easy as I had a card and then through the stairs. He asked me before taking the steps if I was comfortable taking the escalator and I stated yes and had to tell him that I am a born traveller and have been around the world. We reached the platform and then boarded the train. All the way we were chatting I kind of responding to his quaries, you have the problem since birth, are you working, are you single or married, someone needs to travel with you why are you travelling alone …etc. etc. Now inside the metro I move a side and was offered a seat “something welcoming” was pleasantly listening to the various chatters and the frequent announcements of the metro going off in Hindi and in English. Once green park was announced I moved to the door and walked out. Now again requesting for help (bhaiya toda bahar tak choodengey) brother can you drop me outside. Again, a hand pulls me and now my 3rd philosophical deo for the day comes around I had to go through the ordeal of explaining him the guiding technique and insist that I hold him and not him holding me or pulling me. He guides me through the stairs, ticket barricade and the escalator through towards Gautam nagar. Also again same series of questions. On my request he also offered to drop me at AADI’s gate as he was going the same direction. I thanked him and left walking through the gate into AADI building to meet Pankaj. This story continued for the days I was visiting AADI and meeting number of philosophical duos all along for assistance and guidance and people asking many questions. Life is so simple I think but for the freedom of walking about and the crowd it would not have been simple taking the metro ride!!! How many requests, how many thankyous, how many questions to answer!!! Also get to know more of individuals as I was talking. Someone works in the media, in the travel industry, in as teacher but visiting his folks in Delhi, once some students returning from college and many more. Life goes on as people are ready to give that little bit of help and assistance it is a bit easy if not we would have been in disaster!!! Sometimes wonder if the Delhi metro is really accessable for disabled?

FIGHT AGAINST INCAPABILITY Although I belong to the so called educated and intellectual loght, at the end of the day for a common man I am an incapable citizen. Yesterday I got to take the Indigo flight from Hyderabad to Delhi scheduled departure at 1940HRS. I reached the Rajeev Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad at 1800HRS and headed to the Indigo counter guided by a gentleman from the entrance of the airport. Once I gave my ticket to the man behind the counter he asked me if I needed assistance to board the aircraft. I replied “yes” as usual practise and told him that I had web checked in and blocked seat D26 which is an isle seat. He took my ticket and told me that I will be given a seat in the front row... I insisted and repeated that “I have web checked” and my seat is D26 which is a isle seat. To my surprise, he responded that as you need special care we will allot you a seat in the first row, and asked me if I wanted the window, middle or isle seat in the front row. I was shaken and realised that in this free nation my choice is only limited to the first row. “As a traveller I have no right to use the web check in facility and choose my own seat like others” am I incapable??? Began to question myself “do I need special care???” I decided to fight??? I insisted that I need the aisle seat but not in the front row. The man behind the counter was persistent and said that he can offer only the first row and “it was for my own benefit” where the air hostess will take care of me?? I responded, “I know my benefits and my requirements” and he need not tell me. Also showed him a boarding card issued by indigo where they had given 7D isle seat in my previous journey. The struggle went on for few minutes and then he had to give up. I then came down to saying that I need an isle seat for sure but could be given in the first 3 seats. Then he indigently looked up and said that the second row is a window seat, the third row has an isle seat and blocked me to 3C. I told him courteously that I travel alone and had reached the airport on my own and will not need much assistance in the aircraft. Particularly the “special care”. I respect his views and also assured him not to put all persons with disabilities in the same box in his head, as people are unique and some might need that support As he was handing over my boarding card he stood up and said “sorry” I replied “sorry” is a dirty word and this is what the English has left back in the country for people like you who constantly harass disabled people. I shook his hand and bid best regards and good evening for his good public relations skills. As I walked through the security gate I wondered, did I get special care when I travelled alone in the train last night from Bangalore to Hyderabad in the second class sleeper??? Did I get special care when I travelled alone on the bus from my friend’s house in north Hyderabad to the airport??? Whatever it is just because I am blind; I am “incapable and need special care” so say the society.

Travel etiquette

I travel very much, each time I travel by train I observe that people have seemed to have lost their civic sense these days. Those of you who travel by train will agree, when you enter a A.C. coach in a train it is like a fish market. People talking loud, shouting at the top of their voices. If there is a group or a family traveling then it is much more.

Even people who are traveling alone or others are hooked on to the mobile sets answering or talking loudly. Some of the conversations I have observed goes like this.

“hello, hello! can’t hear you, hello, hello”
“there is no network, I am in train”
“we are on train”
“pick me up at so and so time”
“on train safe”.
“how is every one at home”
“eat well, sleep well”

And most of these conversations go on and on as if there is no tomorrow!!!

I just wonder what people did and managed when there were no mobile sets???

The other annoying factor is the loud music emerging out of mobile hand sets, some people tend to showcase their music to the whole world. They seldom realize there are co-passengers traveling and need to maintain silence.

I am not against mobile use but people need to realize that when they are traveling they need to respect the privacy of other and not think the train is a fish market or their home. This is where we lack civic sense and the social etiquette in society.

In the west for example when I travel by train it is comparatively quiet, people do respond to mobiles but in a low voice, they keep quiet as if it is traveling in a plain. In India luckily while travel by flight it is relatively quite. Thank god passengers are asked to switch off their mobile or even that would have become a fish market.

I only wish:
- Mobile use is ban on trains.
-People learn some civic sense so that they remain quiet or talk softly. when they are traveling with others – respecting others privacy.
-stop being so dependent on the mobile sets.
-Stop listening to loud music on rains.

Inequality in water consumption patterns

It is interesting to look at the consumption pattern of water amongst the various population in India. There is an urban, rural divide and also difference in rich & poor in consumption pattern. Majority of people live in rural areas and most of them have limited or no access to tap water, 24/7 running water. They have to walk for miles to fetch water which is a major task for the women folk every day. They manage to get around 2 / 3 pots of water each day which is 10 liters of water for all the house hold use. On an average, per capita consumption of water in a city like Delhi is 225 to 250 liters per day. Poor people living in slums of Delhi do not have access to water sources so the average per capita in such areas is only around 33 liters per day.

Now we see there is a huge distinction between the usage patterns of water for domestic use. Particularly between urban rural divide and rich – poor. Some use 10 to 33 liters per day and the others use 250 liters per day!!!

It is important to understand the politics of use of water, lot of consumers in the affluent areas need so much water for daily house hold use which is generally for bathing (showers), washing machines, kitchen use, gardening etc. in poor quarters of the city and large tracks of rural areas people have access to water sources only to cook and bath.

If this scenario continues, there will be a situation where the haves will use more leaving less to poor house holds. The future trend should call for action to encourage rich consumers to use less so that poor quarters have some more to use which is dignifying and humane.

Guru Bhai

IS THIS JUSTICE

PLIGHT OF DISABLED WOMEN IN GOPALPUR ORISSA

You will remember, the super cyclone of 1999, which played havoc in costal Orissa. The state was also hit by tsunami in December 2004.

Visiting this region in early 2010 I found that people have lost their livelihoods, migration pattern has changed and that the verse affected are disabled people amongst others.

Women with disability in Gopalpur area do not do any work. They are afraid of cyclones and floods as they are dependent and cannot run at the instance of any calamity. Their parents or guardians look after most of the ladies.

Migration is high, as most of them have lost their livelihood due to poor fish habitation in the area and changing aquatic behavior. When people migrate they are forced to take along children and disabled with them.

At the work site, disabled girls are left behind alone and are vulnerable to physical abuse and prone to sexually transmitted disease and HIV.

What does this teach us?

1. Increased climatic change leads to people loosing livelihood;
2. Loss of livelihood leads to migration;
3. Migration has its own ill effects on individuals;
4. Disabled people are doubly vulnerable in such situation;
5. Women with disabilities are exploited;

There is no justice; climate change leads to many other consequences “Unimaginable and less known”.



Praveen Kumar G