Visually-challenged teachers working in different colleges and universities in the State on Wednesday submitted a 10-point charter of demands to Higher Education Minister Pradeep Panigrahy highlighting their issues here at a seminar organised at Orissa Association for the Blind (OAB) premise.

The demands include strict implementation of three per cent reservation as per the provision made under section 33 of the PWD Act -1995, three per cent reservation in promotion as per the direction of the Supreme Court, proper maintenance of Roster Register at the time of appointment of PWDs, assessment of the backlog in appointment of PWDs from 1996 till today and fulfilment up the backlog vacancies through special drive, provision of conveyance allowance to the disable employees working under Higher Education department with the provision made for the Union Government disable employees and reader allowances of Rs 3,000 per month to the visually handicapped faculties.

This apart the teachers also demanded special leave of 15 days to the PWDs employees and provision of giving appropriate/special technology like (Jaws, Karzwel, i-5 Laptop and scanner zopm-ex or its equivalent) to VI faculties, ensure barrier free environment at the working places for visually impaired employees. The Minister assured to take up the issues seriously, said OAB general Secretary Bihari Naik

Source: http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/strictly-implement-pwd-act-visually-challenged-teachers.html