Creating barrier-free environment for PwDs Underscored

A Correspondent

Tezpur: A zonal-level awareness generation programme for North Assam Zone comprising the districts of Udalguri, Darrang, Sonitpur, Biswanath, Lakhimpur, and Dhemaji on ‘Disability and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016’ was organized by the Social Welfare Department, Government of Assam, in collaboration with the district administration, Sonitpur and Shishu Sarothi, NGO, in Tezpur.

Deputy Commissioner Manvendra Pratap Singh formally inaugurated the programme by lighting the ceremonial lamp and delivered the inaugural speech. In his speech, the Deputy Commissioner said the society as a whole needed to be aware, avoid discriminatory behaviour and give importance to the issue of rights of a person with disabilities (PwDs) so that they could live a life of dignity.

The Deputy Commissioner also urged all government department officials and stakeholders to keep in mind the challenges faced by persons with disabilities in their everyday lives and work towards inclusivity by creating a barrier-free environment so that they could live independently.

The programme was conducted by Samsera Hazarika, Divisional Programme Officer, ICDS Cell, Tezpur. Additional Deputy Commissioner Kulen Sarmah delivered the welcome address and explained the objectives of the one-day zonal awareness programme. Secretary of District Legal Services Authority, Sonitpur, Asma Rahman, Additional SP Numal Mahhata, Sonitpur DSP Dr. Rashmi Rekha Sarmah also spoke on the occasion.

The awareness session was conducted by Deputy Director, Advocacy, Shishu Sarothi, Amvalika Senapati who said the new Act had been enacted from a human rights perspective after the Government of India ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2007. She informed that Assam was one of the first States to take up the initiative to hold State-wide awareness programmes on the rights of Persons with Disabilities and informed that more such awareness programmes would be conducted at the zonal and district level in the days to come.

She spoke in detail about the various provisions under the RPwD Act 2016 and the roles and responsibilities of each government department and said that the new Act provided for the inclusion of the private sector within its regulatory framework as well. The Deputy Director appealed to all to be aware of their roles and responsibilities in order to ensure effective implementation of the RPwD Act 2016 by empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusivity and equality. Officials from government departments concerned from various districts under the North Assam zone were present in the awareness programme.

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