School for visually impaired set to lose land to children’s home

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 2

In a move which underlines the state government’s apathy for those suffering from various forms of disability, the premises of the Braille Bhawan in Ludhiana, a rare place providing state-of-the-art facilities for the visually impaired, has been chosen as the site for a children’s home.

Housed on a 13 acre plot of land, the Braille Bhawan houses a school for the visually impaired, a library, a Braille printing press, a centre for offering vocational education and two hostels, one for the boys and one of the girls.

The sole state-funded project for the visually impaired in Punjab, Braille Bhawan, recently in the news for the construction of first ever e-toilets in Punjab on its premises, is now forced to battle it out for a piece of land.

Recently upgraded to Plus Two level by the government, of all the places in Ludhiana, the space currently serving as a playground for the Bhawan has been chosen for the construction of a new children’s home.  This, despite the Ludhiana DC having recommended against it.        

Sources said while ambiguity prevailed over whether the home may also be used to house juveniles, the faculty is worried about the security of its 74 wards in case that happens. 

Paramjit Kaur, headmistress of the Government School for the Blind (popularly known as Braille Bhawan), who has been serving for the past 25 years, said, “The Braille Bhawan is the only home serving the visually impaired students in the city for the past many years. While the only open space on the premises is the playground where the students of the school gather and enjoy recreational activities, that space is being claimed owing to the construction of Children’s Home. We had spoken to the Ludhiana DC in September following which the construction was immediately stopped. An inquiry was also marked in the matter to the DEO by the DC. However, while that inquiry has been completed, construction of the home was resumed on November 28. We also recently received the nod for an upgrade to the Plus Two level by the government for which a separate building is needed. With the home claiming this space, the only shelter meant exclusively for the visually impaired in the city is losing its prime land to a separate home.”

Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, Ravi Bhagat, when contacted on the issue, said, “The matter is currently under the jurisdiction of the state government and the district administration has no say in it.”

Speaking on the inquiry report by the DEO, he said, “The inquiry report has been forwarded to the government and the administration. For its part, it has recommended that the land for the home be chosen elsewhere. However, the final decision rests with the government.”