Mangalore : The Dakshina Kannada District Administration- Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat, Handicapped and Senior Citizens Welfare Department, Dakshina Kannada District Handicaps Federation (DKDHF), and Women and Children Welfare Department, District Legal Service Authority, Public Education Department and Sarva Shikshana Abhiyan jointly observed the World Disability Day – 2011 at Town Hall, Mangalore. 

Deputy Speaker N Yogesh Bhat said that inaugurated and presided over the event. Speaking on the occasion, he said that the public must have the responsibility to encourage the achievements of the special children. They have given the great contribution to the country and the especially to the district with winning the gold medal in the sports.

He also said that the teacher of special school take more pain and efforts to look after the students compared to the teachers of general schools, hence the state government must give the additional facilities from the school and teachers.

He said that the former CM Yeddyurappa has given various programmes to the special school and teachers. Several social issues are taken to the assembly and tried to get the justice for this special children. He also urged the minister to have a meal with these special children once, so they can understand their pain.

Delivering the Key note address on the occasion, Zilla Panchayath CEO Dr K N Vijayaprakash said that the district administration observes this day every year, but we must have meaningful steps taken for their welfare.

He said that there are 17155 special people in the district and there are 10 special schools and the organization formed for the development of Handicaps decided in a meeting that the special schools must be considered as the aided school and must provide the facilities given to the aided schools.

Speaking on the bus pass for handicaps, he said that the disables people can travel in bus only up to 100 kilometer and later has to get down and go in another, hence the government must change this system and provide the pass for the handicaps to travel till one stop to another where they want, he said.

N Yogesh Bhat handed over wheel chair to five disabled children and the occasion.

Vasanth Kumar Shetty and Dr Arun Rao were honoured for their service rendered to the special children.

The gold medal achievers of Special Olympics World Summer Games at Athens, Greece like Royston Pinto, Dhanya Rao and Anil Mendonca were felicitated on the occasion.

DC Channappa Gowda, Dinesh Kumar Alva, Sulochana GK Bhat, BG Ganesh of BG Educational Trust, Yashawanthi Alava and others were present on the dais.