Steps to provide better environment for differently-abled

by Dhaneshi Yatawara

The Ministry of Social Services has stressed the need for public as well as private sector organisations to adopt guidelines to provide a universally accessible environment when constructing buildings. "The law is already in implementation, but we see that certain parties have neglected this requirement and certain buildings are inaccessible specially for people with disabilities," said Secretary to the Social Services Ministry Imelda Sukumar.

The Ministry has already informed the authorities and several reminders have been sent, according to Sukumar.

As per the Gazzette issued for The Disabled Persons (Accessibility) Regulations, No.1 of 2006, parking areas, pathways and corridors, ground and floor surfaces, pavements, public roads and pedestrian crossings, steps and stairs, lifts and elevators of public places such as bus stops, parks, cinemas, hospitals and zoos should be easily accessed by any person with any sort of disability.

According to the Act the State should make a minimum of 10 percent of public transportation accessible to differently abled people. Access to buildings requires ramps which can be used by everybody. Handrails attached to ramps shall be of correct height, which enables wheel chair users and crutch users to hold them easily. Ramp and landing surfaces need to be slip resistant. Call buttons in elevators should be at a height that is within easy reach of wheelchair users and all control buttons should have Braille, raised numbers and symbols to indicate open and close.

In addition to the efforts to establish a universally accessible environment, the Government has spent over Rs. 20 million this year in support of differently abled persons by providing them assistance devices and funds to start self-employment. Nearly Rs. 400 million is spent on medical assistance to differently abled persons including financial assistance for surgeries, according to Sukumar.