It is learnt that the state government has started working towards making 30 government buildings fully accessible for persons with disabilities (PwDs) under phase I as part of the Accessible India Campaign. Under Phase II of the project the State Social Welfare Department has reportedly decided to make the next 45 government buildings and a few beaches such as Calangute, Colva and Baga accessible for PwDs. This is a step in the right direction. Easy accessibility benefits all members of society including persons with disabilities. Improving accessibility brings about increased quality of life, creates more independence and better social integration. It also leads to better health and can result in cost saving in a number of areas. For something to be accessible someone needs to be able to complete the task they are trying to achieve without encountering a barrier or any issue. Accessibility does not mean just being able to easily enter and move about in a government building, it also means to aid those with visual and hearing impairment. This can be done by having Braille or raised lettering wherever possible. Have signboards that are large enough to read and placed where persons with disabilities can see them easily. Announcements, if any, need to be done over a public address system. Buildings need to mandatorily have elevators which should be in working condition at all times and have backup power supply.
