Miles to go before we sleep...

The International Kolkata Book Fair 2011 is here! I have already visited it thrice and feel like going over again, as are millions and millions. Did you notice the ramp at the Food Court? Did you notice the Food court? Did you notice how the road in most parts have been smoothened and flattened, easier to walk on? Well, its to a large part due to advocacy and lobbying by the West Bengal Disability Activist Forum (DAF), a state level forum of NGOs, Persons with Disabilities and individuals.

DAF has been lobbying with the Book Sellers and Publisher's Guild for quite sometime now on the issue of accessibility at the Book Fair. Apart from cordial meetings, nothing much came out of it, except in October. When the BS&PG "promised" to make the Fair accessible by issuing notices to stall owners to add ramps to each stalls and this was reported in the media too. So, DAF was understandably happy.

However, the single most important thing asked for and promised - the ramps to the stalls which were more in number compared to the Halls (which did have ramps) were missing.

DAF organised a meeting at the ampitheatre in the Milon Mela grounds and then all the participants, Children and Persons with Disabilities, parents, NGO staff walked through the fair and to the Publishers Guild were they demanded an explanation.

I guess the BS&PG were caught napping since surrounded by some 100 irate people and the media (who had sniffed a possible "breaking news"), they could only come up with silliest of statements and excuses: Not our responsibility / Why do they need to come to the book fair? / Why do they need to go to all the stalls (go only to those with ramps) / It is not possible etc / This is just a publicity gimmick etc.

The rally making its way to the Guild House

Surrounding the Guild house

Very few passers by (and there were many) stopped to find out what was happening. Most were curious or angry at their path blocked or aired summary statements - Jekhanei mohila sekhanei jhamle (there will be trouble when women are around) / They are angry since they haven't been given stalls etc.

This is not an issue in any developed nation since ramps have been made compulsory a very long time ago. Handrails, patterned floor tiles (for the visually impaired), ramps, wide doorways to accomodate wheel chairs, flat steps (for those using callipers and crutch) are inbuilt in to the system and never have to be mentioned.

Remember, India did sign the UNCRPD and with a flourish ... one of the first countries to do so. And yet, "eder ekhane ashar ki dorkar?" is the reality. All DAF asked for was a simple wooden ramp instead of steps at the entrance of each stall. Like Oliver, they dared to ask for more?!


But we live in hope. Six ramps (one at the food court, and 5 at the entrance of the 5 halls) is a begining. Our small rally might have started something good. But we have miles to go before we sleep ... to remind all of us ... that we (as a nation) have promises to keep.

Not going Swimmingly well....

Jharkhand is hosting the 34th National Games which begins in less than one month. So, a swimming camp has been organised for the 40 member contingent in Ranchi. Actually inside an appartment in Ranchi. Truly, if the report in the Statesman, 26th January 2011, is to be believed.

Apparently, they lie down on the floor and thrash their arms and legs about. Simulating swimming. The report also adds that nearly half of this contingent have never seen a pool having practiced in ponds and lakes.

I had to reread the item to make sure it was not a joke. Ofcourse, I almost missed this article tucked on Page 15, amid various articles on cricket.

So what? Nothing I guess. India's pride has already been salvaged, hasn't it? The rooms and facilities at GWG 2010 were found to be acceptable to all foreign visitors weren't they? GW games were for International teams, afterall, so the swimming pools for training would have been pools with water.

The Jharkhand swimming team, is like Oliver, asking for more. How dare they?

[Ps - I dont think they asked for a pool. The report stated that they felt demoralized. What an understatement that].

Why is Dr. Binayak Sen being Jailed?

Here is Why Dr. Binayak Sen is being Jailed?

Please watch this 11 minutes video, help spread the message. There are a lot of events, meets happening details available at Free Binayak Sen Campaign - join wherever you can or even if you can't, help spread the word. If nothing else, the very very least that we all can do is keep updated about the Free Binayak Sen Campaign instead of ocassionally hearing about him on the TV channels in between the film awards, reality shows and life styles of the rich and famous.