Over 2 lakh disabled in Haryana — Survey

PANCHKULA, Dec 1: A Survey conducted recently by the Social Defence and Security Department, Haryana, has revealed that there are 2,20,89...

PANCHKULA, Dec 1: A Survey conducted recently by the Social Defence and Security Department, Haryana, has revealed that there are 2,20,891 disabled in the state. According to the survey, these include 1,37,132 physically handicapped, 15,136 mentally retarded, 33,907 blind, 17,076 deaf and dumb, 9,564 suffering multiple handicaps, 551 leprosy cases and 7,525 others.

As far as Panchkula is concerned, there are 3,141 disabled persons in the district, the lowest in Haryana. These include 1,610 physically handicapped, 696 mentally retarded, 303 blind, and 532 persons who are deaf & dumb. Meanwhile, the government claims to have taken up several welfare activities to aid this section of the society.

According to government officials, the government has set up a special employment exchange for the handicapped persons in Sonepat and has also effected 3 per cent reservation for them in government departments. Besides fixing a monthly pension for them, under which 44,000 handicapped persons have already been benefited, the state is currently running a residential school for blind students and the deaf & dumb, in Panipat. There are six similar centres in Hisar, Gurgaon, Karnal Sonepat, Ambala and Sirsa districts.

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For the mentally retarded children, special schools are being run in Rohtak, Hisar, Sonepat, Sirsa and Ambala, in association with the Red Cross Society and District Child Welfare Councils. To ensure education of the physically disabled along with normal children, 12 schools are being operated in Ambala, Hisar, Gurgaon, Rohtak, Jind, Kurukshetra, Rewari, Sirsa and Sonepat districts which are being run in collaboration with the Education Department.

The Saket Hospital in Chandimandir is one institute in the region which caters to the treatment, education, training and rehabilitation of the orthopaedically handicapped. The hospital is run by the Haryana Saket Council, Chandimandir, which was established in January, 1957. Other services being provided by the Institute include physiotherapy, the Saket Middle School, printing press, tailoring production centre, ITI class for tailoring, cutting and embroidery and prosthetic and orthotic workshop for manufacturing of all types of artificial aids and appliances. Besides, OPD services are also available at the centre.

The Institute received the national award during 1983, 1986, and 1995 and state award in 1993 for its outstanding performance in the field of welfare for the handicapped.

Meanwhile, the district administration will be celebrating the World Disabled Day on December 3, at the Saket hospital in Panchkula. The celebrations will include crutch race, wheelchair race, tricycle race, dart, musical chairs, carom, table tennis. A cultural programme will also be presented by the inmates of the Institute.