The Times of India 25.08.2010
NMC's helping hand
NAGPUR: One can see Shobhit Gaikwad's eyes shining and a smile on his face with the anticipation of standing on feet and walking with his friends to school. This will be first time that Shobhit, a standard II student from Mohan Nagar municipal school, will be able to do so. It is thanks to efforts of Nagpur Municipal Corporation's (NMC) education department that provided him with a walker, a splint and also a commode chair.
NMC, under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan's Inclusive Education for Disabled Programme, recently donated walkers, wheel chairs, calipers and other equipment to 790 children. These were children with special need, according to Abhijeet Raut, the co-ordinator of programme.
He told TOI the education department also distributed permanent disability certificates, and documents for railways, city bus, and MSRTC concessions to 251 children. Besides, it also gave away 150 calipers, 16 wheelchairs, three tri-cycles and distributed spectacles to 252 children.
The walker, calipers and other equipment came as a big relief to Shobhit's mother Saroj. She said, "Shobhit was unable to walk on his own. He was affected by polio since birth. We were too poor to buy all such equipment. Now he can walk and manage his daily work," she said. A happy Shobhit said, after getting the walker he could walk along with his friends to school. He said one day he would participate in some games.
Another beneficiary is Khushal Lanjewar who lost movement in lower portion of body due to an infection.
Savita, his mother, said, "Since we were short of money, Khushal was deprived of treatment. Recently, our ward member and officials from NMC approached me and gave a wheelchair and splint. Khushal, who is unable to perform his daily chores without help, can now move from one room to another and also go outside for a chat with his friends on his wheelchair."
Other children with special need including Rahul Borkar and Aditya Raut were also given wheelchair and other equipment. Roshni Kale, another kid with special need, got permanent disability certificate along with a tricycle to commute between school and home.
NMC received applications from 3088 students with special needs from 550 primary schools, including 340 private and state government run and 210 NMC schools. Doctors conducted tests on the applicants and identified 1820 children who required help. Initially, aid was provide to 790 children at a cost of Rs 10 lakh.
