Representational image
Himachal Pradesh government has been urged to implement the High Court order to provide free education and accessible libraries in educational institutions to visually impaired and other disabled students.
In a letter to Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, State Disability Advisory Board's expert member Ajai Srivastava said Himachal Pradesh High Court has directed the government to provide free education to the disabled students up to the university level.
The High Court also ordered the state government to provide computers with Talking Software and other assistive devices to the visually disabled college students, CM JairamThakur said.
Also Chairman of a NGO, Umang Foundation, Srivastava said, "On my public interest litigation (PIL) writ petition four years ago, the High Court established that free education up to University level – including all professional and vocational courses, is a fundamental right of the disabled students."
"The court had directed the state to make necessary rules within six months." However, the judgement delivered by the bench consisting of Justices Rajiv Sharma and Tarlok Singh Chauhan on June 4, 2015 is yet to be implemented, he claimed.
The disabled students studying in schools, degree colleges, medical and engineering colleges, polytechnics and ITIs have been deprived from getting free education, he added.
The social activist further stated that on a letter PIL filed by the students of Government College Ghumarwin, district Bilaspur, the High Court on May 14 had ordered the Government to provide "computers with necessary Talking Software, scanner, E-books and books in Braille, along with Braille Papers to the visually impaired four girl students studying in the college."
He praised the Government for taking immediate steps to fulfil the demand of visually impaired students.
ALSO READ: Himachal Pradesh: 4, including 3 students killed as school bus rolls down gorge in Shimla
