Press Meet on accessibility in physical structure for person with disability in Nepal

1. Introduction

Blind youth Association Nepal(BYAN) organized an hour press meet program in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity, Sanepa in the hall of Reporter’s Club, Bhrikutimandap on 27 May, 2016. The program was held regarding the accessibility in physical structure for persons with disability in Nepal.  The main objective of the program was to increase the access in infrastructure for the disabled people which are being under construction. Number of 61 audiences observed the program including 16 guest, 10 media representatives and 35 the participants.

2. Process of the program

The program was started by the chairing of Mr. Kaladhar Bhandari, president of Blind Youth Association, Nepal(BYAN). He gave the welcome remarks to the guests and the participants along with the main objectives of the program. He shared his own experiences of the daily suffering due to the unfriendly road of Kathmandu. Similarly, BYAN distributed a paper mentioned with the present context with the main problems in the road and the physical structure for the disabled people and blind specially. The program was conducted with the chief guest of Mr. Sabin Pradhan, DSP from Nepal police, Mr. Krishna Pd. Khadka, Engineer of Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Mr. Raju Basnet, General Secretary, National Federation of Disabled Nepal(NFDN) as the special guest. More than 16 representatives from different disabled peoples organizations were participated as the guest in the program. Out of them, Mr. Jagadish Pd. Adhikari, Executive Director of DHRC Nepal, Mr. Bhojraj Shrestha from IL Centre, Mr. MukundaHari Dhal, DFPID  Ms. Nirmala Dhital, President of Nepal Disabled Women Association (NSWA), Ganesh K.C., President of IL Centre, Mr. Ramesh Tiwari, MHRPFDN, Mr. NirPrakash Giri, Nepal Mental Health Federation, Ms. Nilam Gautam, Autism Care Nepal Society,  Mr. Shiva Rayamajhi, National Coordinator from MyRight, a team with three member from Habitat for Humanity, in the coordination of Ms. Lisa Nagarkoti. Most of the guests expressed their valuable views regarding the all physical structure like public building, Busparks, hotels, stadium, governmental offices, public toilet, park, shopping centre, ATM services etc are not disabled friedly. Moreover, they had mentioned the problems and the troubles of blind and persons with physical disabled (wheel chair, caliper, Carchi and artificial organ user) in the crumbled road specially. They requested to Kathmandu Municipality to control the street animals like dog, cow and the bull in the road. They demanded to the government through this press meet each and every reconstruction should be disabled friendly otherwise they won’t give to continue the construction work smoothly. They discussed as the conclusion, the leader of government should have to think over the three issues while they plan of the reconstruction process: First: children and disabled people, second: Women and third is adult. Likewise, the chief guest committed to create the disable friendly environment from the side of police administration in the coming day.  He realized the motorcycle parking, tree and the electricity pole of the road have created the most disturbances to the disabled people in their daily life.

3. Experience sharing and interaction

In this connection, There were expressed two experiences with full of sorrow due to the lack of blind friendly road. Among them, Ms. Samiksha Bhattrai, a full blind lady fro NAB Women hostel shared her bitter experiences while she fell down into the drain which was open in the middle of the road. That day, her white cane had broken by a vehicle. So she was walking in the road without cane closed to hostel. Then, the people rescued her from this accident. Similarly, Ms. Jimawati Lamkolia, shared two experiences,  she was returning from Jamal to Sukedhara by micro bus. She used to get off at Sukedhara near from Laxmi bank. When A man said her to go ahead but unfortunately, she fell down into the underground from the road where the foundation of Laxmi Bank was being under construction. Then, she got unconscious for fifteen minutes. People called the hostel staff and her fellows to bring the hospital. Luckily, she suffered from minimum wound in her backside. Now, she is still taking medicine and getting recovered. Moreover, She shared another danger experience that she was walking in the road two month ago, there was listening a strange sound of fire, people were crowded and noised to stopped the vehicle. She thought immediately, something is wrong there. It inspired to stop herself. Suddenly, a man stopped her and informed about the road incident, the electricity wire was burning in the middle road.

4. Main problem facing by persons with disability:

• Disabled people are faced more trouble due to narrow and crumbled road as well.
• Blind people might be get accident due to the drain without led in the middle road.
• Disturbances to cross the busy road due to the miles of constructive materials of the road belt.
• Unsafe journey for the disabled people due to the street business.
• Difficulties due to the crowded people, ignorance of zebra crossing, lack of use of traffic light with sound.
• The assistive devices of disabled people (white cane, wheel chair, caliper, Carchi etc.) are broken by the vehicles.
• There is so much abs tackles to the disabled people due to the muddy road, big pit and mile of dirt in the middle road.

 

5. Conclusion

The physical structure and the unmanaged road are the milestone for the development and empowerment of the disabled people in Nepal. So BYAN has delivered the message to the government, stakeholders, NGO, INGO, civil society, and public sector for their attention through this press meet for the right of disable friendly physical structure.  For this, government should be addressed the mentioned problems in the time of reconstruction of the public physical infrastructure after the massive earthquake of last year. At least, government should apply signal, guiding block, tektite, sound technology, elevator, sign language translator etc. in the public places as per the need of human diversity.

The whole program was held with the moderating by Mr. Ramchandra Gaire, General Secretary of BYAN.

6. List of the attendance

 

• Guest

1. Sabin Pradhan, Chief Guest, DSP, Nepal Police
2. Raju Basnet, Special Guest, NFDN
3. Rishi Dhamala, President, Reporter’s Club
4. Jagadish Pd. Adhikari, Executive Director of DHRC Nepal
5. BhojRaj Shrestha from IL Centre
6. MukundaHari Dhal, DFPID
7. Nirmala Dhital, President of Nepal Disabled Women Association (NSWA)
8. Ganesh K.C., President of IL Centre
9. Ramesh Tiwari, MHRPFDN
10. NirPrakash Giri, Nepal Mental Health Federation
11. Nilam Gautam, Autism Care Nepal Society
12. Shiva Rayamajhi, National Coordinator, MyRight,
13. Krishna Pd. Khadka, Engineer of Ministry of Physical Infrastructure,
14. Lisa Nagarkoti, Habitat for Humanity
15. Sameer Bhattrai, “   “
16. Nabin Neupane, “  “

• Organizer

17. Dinesh Guawali, Board Member
18. Ram Ayer, Board Member
19. ParbatRaj Bista, Board Member
20. Ram Chandra Gaihre, General Secretary
21. Kaladhar Bhandari, President
22. SunulaMan Singh, Treasurer
23. VishowRam Shrestha, Project Manager
24. Sita Subedi, Staff

Participants

25. Pramod Gyawali,
26. Toya Kumar B.K.
27. Laxmeshwor Mahatto, Byan Kathmandu branch
28. Ram Pramod Shah
29. BhojRaj Pandey, President, Katmandu Association of the blind
30. Jamuna Gautam
31. Anita Bhattrai, BWA, Nepal
32. Chabi Ale
33. Suman Ghimire
34. Pramod Mishra
35. Biplab Acharya
36. Narendra Gurai, Volunteer
37. Khom Dhital
38. Dev Br. Joshi
39. Aayusma Chettri
40. TekNath Neupane,
41. Menuka B.K.
42. Sabitri Poudel
43. Samiksha Bhattrai
44. Jimawati Lamkolia
45. Umesh Raj Bhatt
46. Birendra Dhami
47. Prakash Rai
48. Rakhi Karki, Volunteer
49. Samiksha Bhattrai Volunteer
50. SureshRaj Bhandari, President, Bhaktapur Association of the Blind
51. Srijana Acharya,

Media Representative

52. Rajkaji Ranjit,
53. Sunita Kunwar, UGL, Sanchar(Paper)
54. Mohan Thapa, Khojtalash
55. Pradeeep Shah
56. Sharmila B.K., DHRC
57. Ramagya Bajrachary, TV
58. Krishna Maharjan, SPDHE-Nepal
59. Bijaya Ramtel, RSS
60. Susma Aryal, Capital Khabar
61. Rekha Chand, Khojkhabar