Mangaluru : Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim said a proposal for the construction of a full-fledged and permanent rehabilitation centre in the district has been sent to the State government.

He was speaking at a programme organised on the occasion of the International Day for the Differently Abled Persons at the Town Hall here on Thursday.

He lamented that the demands of specially abled, like separate parking space and ramps or lifts in offices and banks not being fulfilled. Ramps and lifts should be included in the planning stage of buildings itself. There is a need for an effective implementation of three per cent reservation for specially abled, the officer said.

Ibrahim said that 28,000 people have either become physically or mentally disabled due to Endosulfan in the district. He said the gap between haves and have nots is increasing in the mad race of development. The discrimination against women, dalits, minority, differently abled has not decreased and they are not getting equal platform, which they are eligible to get, he regretted.

St Agnes Special School teacher Pushpalatha, Christaraja Navachethana Special School teacher Zeta D’Souza, Roman and Catherine School for Blind student Deekshith, St Mary’s Special School, Kinnigoli, teacher Reshma Jyothi, Saanidhya Special School teacher Veena P N, Lions Special School, Surathkal, Assistant Teacher Meenakshi, Rebecca from Bethani Special School, Mardhala, Sandeepa Special School, Sullia, student Mithun, Chethana Special School, Mangaluru, Assistant Teacher Veena Kulal, Mangalajyothi Integrated School, Vamanjoor, teacher Savitha Kakathkar, Chessire Home of India, Warden Sr Theresita, Andhara Chalana Valana Kendra, Mangaluru, Assistant teacher Sundar C Kotian, Karavali Vikalachethanara Abhivruddhi Sangha President Muhammed Junaid, rural rehabilitation worker, Vittal, Vasanthi B and agriculturist Koragappa were felicitated on the occasion.

A number of cultural programmes were present on the occasion.

Dakshnina Kannada Zilla Angavikalara Federation submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner seeking the fulfillment of their demands, such as providing school facilities to specially abled children in rural areas, concession rates in private and express bus fare and airfare for specially abled, increase in monthly pension to Rs 1,500 to Rs 1,200.

Senior Civil Judge and District Legal Services Authority Member Secretary Ganesh B inaugurated the programme. Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer P I Srividya, District Women and Child Development Department Deputy Director Sundar Poojary, Lions District Governor Kavita Shastry, District Angavikalara Federation President Dinesh Shetty and Lions Club, Gandhinagar, President Sudhakar Shetty were present.

Dakshina Kannada district administration, Women and Child Development Department, Differently Abled and Senior Citizens’ Empowerment Department, District Legal Services Authority and Lions Club, Gandhinagar, had organised the programme.

Specially abled children took out a rally from University College, Hampankatta, to the Town Hall. Senior Civil Judge Ganesh B flagged off the rally.