Advocacy
Nethrodaya strongly believes that vibrant advocacy is the need of the hour to bring about real changes in the lives of differently abled persons. Standing its ground and consistently fighting for them, Nethordaya obtained favourable orders from the Madras High Court and Government of Tamil Nadu benefitting the visually impaired community at large.
Finally our 4 years of legal battle has benefited 4,39,315 differently abled persons in Tamilnadu With Honourable Thiru. M. K. Stalin and
Honourable Tmt. P. Geetha Jeevan.
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We at Nethrodaya thank the Honourable Chief Justice of Madras High court for issuing a Historic Judgement and our sincere thanks to Honourable Chief Minister of Tamilnadu for the Announcement of pension to the differently abled from Rs.1000 to Rs.1500.
Every order, every judgement has not only helped thousands from the visually impaired community and their families, but has also enabled other welfare institutions for the differently abled to work with dignity.
Kuppan, a poor Visually Challenged who lost his parents and was unable to avail his father's pension.
He approached Nethrodaya for seeking legal assistance.
Nethrodaya's "Legal Eagle "Mr.Prabhakaran fought the battle in the High Court of Madras and received the historic order from the Metro Department.
"The first disabled to receive the pension of his father in TamilNadu."
Nethrodaya fought a legal battle in the High Court of Madras against the Resident Welfare Association who had challenged the Government’s allotment of Land to Nethrodaya on the grounds of Social Untouchability. After carefully examining the petition, The Chief Justice of Madras High Court passed a landmark judgement on 17th October 2008 condemning the association’s objection and also imposed a fine on the petitioner.
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Disability and poverty together restrain many visually impaired individuals from completing their education. Nethrodaya approached the Department of School Education and obtained a GO to exempt fee for visually impaired private candidates appearing for board exams conducted by the Directorate of School Examinations (GO No. 220 dated 09.07.2013). Furthermore, to make it convenient for the community, Nethrodaya was also instrumental in obtaining a GO from the Department of School Education to permit visually impaired students to apply online for their board exams (GO NO. 220 dated 09.07.2013).
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Nethrodaya understood that non-availability of scribes was a major impediment in visually impaired persons’ education and hence approached the Madras High Court requesting to direct the Government of Tamil Nadu to frame new guidelines and issue Government Orders for the appointment of scribes who can appear with visually impaired students at their board/university exams. The historic judgement that came on 28th January 2016 directed the Government of Tamil Nadu to issue modified guidelines by incorporating suggestions from Nethrodaya. Our rigorous follow up also ensured that the orders were issued by the Department of School Education and Higher Education, and implemented soon after.
Nethrodaya’s advocacy efforts were channelled by its founder’s long term vision and determination to set up a favourable ecosystem in the society that allowed support services for the visually impaired persons to prosper. This vision led the institution to a new milestone – obtaining a judgement from Madras High Court that exempts building approval fee from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The GO has not only benefitted Nethrodaya but has also favoured many other welfare institutions run for the differently abled (GO No. 31 dated 09.03.2018).
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The Department of Welfare of Differently Abled Persons provides a maintenance allowance of Rs. 2,000/- to each severely disabled person affected with mental retardation, muscular dystrophy, and leprosy. Nethrodaya’s Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to consider the visually impaired persons on par with other differently abled led to a judgment from the Madras High Court on 19.09.2022, directing the Government of Tamil Nadu to consider extending the Monthly Pension Scheme for visually impaired persons, under the Differently Abled Category (WP No. 50052).
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Nethrodaya V State
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Every order, every judgement has not only helped thousands from the visually impaired community and their families, but has also enabled other welfare institutions for the differently abled to work with dignity.
Kuppan, a poor Visually Challenged who lost his parents and was unable to avail his father's pension.
He approached Nethrodaya for seeking legal assistance.
Nethrodaya's "Legal Eagle "Mr.Prabhakaran fought the battle in the High Court of Madras and received the historic order from the Metro Department.
"The first disabled to receive the pension of his father in TamilNadu."
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Nethrodaya has established a Braille Library cum Research Training center supported By
Government of Tamilnadu G.O no 86 dated 04.06.2004.
Government of Tamilnadu allots Seven Grounds of Land for Nethrodaya towards creating
Insfrastructure facility for the Visually Impaired G.O No 748 dated 20.11.2006.
Issuing a historic G.O from the Housing Department towards the exemption of INDA charges
for Nethrodaya G.O No 31 dated 09.03.2018.
Obtaining revision of Fee Structure from Tamilnadu Teachers Education University for
Nethrodaya. click here
Obtaining a historic G.O from School Education Department towards appointment of Scribes
for the Visually Impaired Students appearing for Board exams, G.O No 54 dated 29.02.2016.
Obtaining a Special Order from the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court for the
appointment of Scribes for the Visually Impaired students dated 28.01.2016.
Obtaining a Special Order from Higher Education Department towards appointment of
Scribes for the Visually Impaired Students appearing for their University Exams dated
08.03.2016 . Click Here
Presented a Paper on “Suggestions and Inputs to Improve the Conditions of Blind Population
in TamilNadu” at M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation.
On 8th September 2003. The paper “Suggestions and Inputs to Improve the Conditions of
Blind Population in TamilNadu” was recommended to Planning Commission, Government of
Tamil Nadu.
Presented a paper on “Health Education on Development of Children with Differently Abled”
at Lee Royal Meridian Hotel, Chennai, jointly organized by UNICEF and Government of Tamil
Nadu.
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Nominations:
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Member of the Welfare Board for the Differently Abled, Constituted by the Government of Tamil Nadu.
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Member, Multi-Disciplinary Grant in Aid Committee, Department for the Welfare of Differently Abled, Tamil Nadu
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Member of State Planning Commission for the Differently Abled, Tamil Nadu
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Member of Special Schools Committee for Differently Abled – Government of Tamil Nadu.
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Member of the executive committee for implementation of an Audio Alert Device in City buses for the benefit of Visually Impaired Persons, Government of Tamil Nadu.
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Member of Technical committee to arrive at specifications for procurement of magnifiers, Angel pro digital player, reflective folding sticks, etc., for the welfare of differently-abled persons, Government of Tamil Nadu.
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Technical committee member for designing and procuring auditory signals for the benefit of visually impaired persons – Government of Tamil Nadu.
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Advisory committee Member in program designing for mobile therapy unit for the Department of Differently Abled – Government of Tamil Nadu.