TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Disability Rights Association of Goa (DRAG) has called on the Goa Governor to boycott the Menezes Braganza Lecture series being held in the Institute’s hall Panjim as the venue is not accessible to persons with disability.
“We wish to inform you that Institute Menezes Braganza Hall, Panjim is on the first floor and it is not accessible for persons with disability, especially wheelchairs users, which is in violation of Section 46 of the Persons with Disability Act 1995 thereby denying persons with disability the right to attend any programme in that hall including the Menezes Braganza lecture series.
We have taken up the matter with the State Government and the State Disability Commissioner in December 2012 when it was inaugurated but nothing has been done till date although almost one year has passed. Hence we request you not to inaugurate the Menezes Braganza lecture series at the Institute Menezes Braganza Hall, Panjim on 22nd November, 2013 and show your commitment to the cause of the rights of persons with disability in Goa,” DRAG president Avelino de Sa said in a statement.
The lecture series is scheduled to begin on November 22. The DRAG had earlier protested against the venue at its inauguration as the refurbisher ignored disability accessibility during its renovation.
DRAG has also written to the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar not to speak at the lecture series on the same grounds. DRAG has requested the CM to show his commitment to the cause of the rights of persons with disability in Goa as the chief minister of Goa.
In a letter sent to the Director Social Welfare DRAG DRAG has demanded that disability access audits be conducted on all government hospitals – district, primary and urban health centres at the earliest to ensure that they are made accessible to persons with disability. DRAG will be filing cases with the State Disability Commissioner with regard to persons who are not disabled using facilities reserved for the persons with disability as it is a criminal offence under Section 69 of the Persons with Disability Act 1995.
DRAG has also written to the Director of Film Festivals and the Entertainment Society of Goa to have separate ticket counters for persons with disability and senior citizens at IFFI 2013.
DRAG wrote to the Governor stating that the Institute Menezes Braganza Hall is on the first floor and it is not accessible for persons with disability, especially wheelchairs users, which is in violation of Section 46 of the Persons with Disability Act 1995
