Tuesday, 25 June 2013 00:00
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The contents of the Circular MSS/7/8/ACC issued by the Ministry of Social Services on 4 October 2012 that was produced by DSG Sanjay Rajaratnam to the Supreme Courts, Dr. Ajith C. S. Perera revealed at the hearing, highlight the following setbacks:
The National Council for the Disabled Persons has pointed out to the Ministry, although a long period of time has passed since issuing the Accessibility Regulations, still the Government public buildings continue to get built without any accessibility facilities and also nothing at all have happened improving accessibility at existing Government buildings either.
This circular was only a another follow-up to the earlier sent circular requesting the Government officials to establish accessibility at existing Government buildings by 16 October next year, by finding money needed through their budget allocations.
The private sector has the greater number of buildings the public use in daily life. However, no circulars, including this circular, was sent by the Ministry of Social Services and thereby the private sector is never told or encouraged to establish accessibility.
Dr. Perera prayed the bench repeatedly requesting the Attorney General to ensure circulars concerning accessibility be sent to the private sector as well.
It is the SC order Dr. Perera obtained in April 2011 concerning accessibility at new constructions that has enabled us to see a good start to complying with this SC order and thereby establishing accessibility.
It is his personal efforts only in several ways that have created good awareness about this Court order in the private sector as well.
As ongoing renovations and reconstructions are vital remedial measure to establish accessibility, from the start itself, Perera prayed to extend the 27 April 2011 given SC orders to include renovations and reconstructions which due to an oversight he has failed to ask then and await for such an order in the larger interest of the country and to optimise the benefits from the ongoing develop programs reaching everyone and for the ‘Mahinda Chinthana – Idiri Dakma’ to soon become a true reality.
