Date:05/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/05/stories/2008050559640400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Protest by differently-abled

Staff Reporter

Hyderabad: Members of the Andhra Pradesh Welfare Committee of the Blind (APWCB) held a protest meeting against the transfer of five schools for the visually and hearing challenged from the Education Department to the Disabled Welfare Department on Sunday afternoon at Indira Park.

Over 50 students from five schools participated in the protest against the G.O.MS 33 that was passed in February this year. Apart from the transfer, the order stated that the disabled welfare department can seek help from philanthropic individuals and NGOs to run these schools, which was strongly opposed by the students.

“A similar order was passed 20 years ago but the Government had revoked it then. The five schools that are situated at Malakpet, Darul Shifa, Kadapa and Kakinada are being run by the Department of Education and have good standards compared to those under the Disabled Welfare Department,” said, Chairman of APWCB, N. Venkat Ramulu.