Date:02/03/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/03/02/stories/2006030208700400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Kurnool

Visually challenged seek special recruitment drive

Staff Reporter

Gherao Assistant Director of Physically Handicapped demanding an assurance

SEE OUR PLIGHT: Visually challenged persons staging a demonstration at the Collectorate in Kurnool on Wednesday. - Photo: U. Subramanyam

KURNOOL: Visually challenged persons under the district branch of the Andhra Pradesh Federation of the Blind stormed the office of the Assistant Director of the Physically Handicapped at the Collectorate and toppled the furniture there on Wednesday demanding special recruitment drive before the Government Order lapsed by end of March.

Members of the association numbering around 100 gheraoed the officer for some time demanding an assurance from him.

Dharna staged

Earlier, the protesters staged a dharna at the Collectorate and raised slogans. Leaders of the federation said the Government had issued an order to conduct a special recruitment drive to ensure filling of one per cent of vacancies with the visually-challenged. They said officers in various departments were misled by their staff that the visually-challenged could be of no use if recruited. They said the Revenue Department was the biggest culprit.

The leaders also urged the authorities to take steps for setting up a special school for the blind in the district as all neighbouring districts had such schools. Kurnool was the only district in Rayalaseema without a school for the blind.

Also, they wanted the district administration to take steps for construction of a building for the training-cum-production centre as the National Federation for the Blind was willing to run the centre if infrastructure was provided.

Leaders of the association said ransacking of furniture in the office of the Assistant Director was unintentional and had happened due to over-crowding.