Himachal court notice over facilities for blind students

Shimla, December 24: A bench of Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan has issued notice to the chief secretary and the principal secretary (education) of Himachal Pradesh regarding the status of special facilities for blind students.

The notice was also issued to the director (higher education) and the Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) vice chancellor Monday after a visually impaired student wrote to the chief justice of the high court, urging him to ensure that special facilities are provided in all educational institutes of the state.

"There is no facility in schools and colleges for blind students. I suffered a lot. I have seen that the HPU in Shimla is also lacking it," Banita Rana, pursuing her master's degree in English, said in the letter.

Taking cognisance of her letter, the court directed the top officials to file replies within a week and listed the matter for hearing Dec 31. Citing the Supreme Court judgment March 26, 2014, she said the court had asked all the states to implement the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act of 1995 by the end of this year. But nothing has been done to protect the rights of people with disabilities.

IANS