Advocacy

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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