Thursday, March 25, 1999
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REGIONAL BRIEFS | Thursday, March 25, 1999 |
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Harnessing-latent potentialities Handicap can be turned into a catalyst to develop a person's latent potentialities or when a person is handicapped in one faculty, there is a natural compensation in some other faculty is, perhaps, best realised in the case of Swapna Augustine, a 24-year-old Keralite girl, who was born without arms but paints with her toes. Born is a poor family, Swapna did her schooling staying at Mercy Home, managed by SD (Sisters of the Destitute) Congregation. She writes beautifully with her toes. A bump at the back shattered her dream of getting a pair of electronic hands. She is hopeful of seeing the silver lining of her life by attending a painting course in Chandigarh with the support and guidance of Roshni Society and the general public of the City Beautiful. Jilumol (8) and Ashwathy (12) from the same southern state, born without arms, were thrilled as they were fitted with electronic hands from Nevedac Centre, thus enabling them to eat and drink with their hands, a long-cherished dream of their life. Gurjailb Singh (24) of Rajpura (who lost one hand while cutting fodder), Kewal (30) of Amritsar (who lost both the hands through electric shock), Saji (who suffered the loss of a leg in a truck accident), Vincy and Mini (who lost their legs in a train accident) were all stranded in life till they were helped to join the mainstream of social life through or fitment of the required artificial appliances to lead a self-dependent life with the valuable support and guidance received from Roshni. The work of Roshni is different from an institutionalised service, says Father K.J. Thomas, its president, as it is a mass movement with a network of collaboration with like-minded NGOs and individuals' goodwill across the country to help those stranded in life. Father Jose, Director of Health Dialogue, Kozhikode, and Prof Cheriachen George of Muvattupuzha lend a helping hand to Roshni in Kerala, while Father Neeti Lal, Director of Lok Chetna Samiti, and Ms Sangeeta of Kiran Centre of Varanasi spread the light of Roshni among those stranded in life in the rural areas of UP, together with many others in Haryana, thus translating into reality the ideals of Roshni. His mission is to educate At Tohana, a quiet town in Fatehabad district, a retired Colonel who has fought both the wars against Pakistan bravely, is waging an altogether different battle with a torch of education in hand. On retirement in 1991 after giving most of his glorious years of life to the service of nation, Col O.P. Rathi came to Tohana with a mission: to provide good quality yet affordable education to the children of this area which is not developed educationally. Since then he has never looked back. While a father of two children with a doctor son well settled in USA and a doctor daughter married to a senior civil servant is usually expected to sit back and bask in the sun of his glorious past in his retiring years, this soldier as well as his better half are carved out in a different mould. At this age the old couple had an idea of giving birth to a "child". A child which was in conception for last many years and was born in April 1998 in the form of Colonel Public School. Situated in a peaceful and lush green environment about 4 km from Tohana , it was started with the aim of providing quality education on a no profit, no loss basis. They have been trying to turn their brainchild into a Mecca of education with all modern facilities. It is inspiring to see the way this old couple is bringing up this "child", being the first to reach school, enjoying the assembly of small children, giving personal care to their minutest needs, having meals with the children and in the process growing "younger" day by day. Having put their heart and soul into this noble task, they enjoy every moment of it. In his own words, the feeling of having won the battle will come to him only when his aim of transforming into hard-working , disciplined and self-reliant citizens will be fulfilled. Till then the soldier will march on. Toll tax hike opposed Unannounced enhancement in the toll tax by the Jammu & Kashmir Government has caused resentment among people and transporters passing through the Lakhanpur toll tax barrier near Pathankot. The sudden hike in the toll tax tariff from Rs 20 to Rs 100 on cars and light-motor transport vehicle on every trip has not only put an extra burden on the people of Narot Jaimal Singh area, part of Pathankot subdivision as the people of the area have to go to Pathankot passing through Lakhanpur, but has also forced taxi drivers and other four-wheeler operators to increase fares. Similarly, passenger buses and trucks would have to pay heavy toll tax. The enhancement in the toll tax rates may ease the financial position in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, but it would have an adverse effect on tourism. Lakhs of Hindus go to Vaishno Devi to have darshan of the cave every year and would thus be forced to pay a heavy toll tax imposed on cars, while taxis and buses would have to pay more. Mr Raj Kumar Bitt, a BJP leader of Sujanpur, has urged the Chief Minister to withdraw the hike as it would put people to great financial burden. Youngest sarpanch Affluent and astute Karan Gilhotra, a young graduate of Ghaniani village, 7 km from Fazilka, who was unanimously elected sarpanch of the village panchayat polls of June 1998 has the distinction of being youngest sarpanch of country. Born on October 16, 1976, at Fazilka, Karan got his early education at Meo College, Ajmer, followed by Plus I and II from DAV College, Chandigarh. He graduated in commerce from DAV College, Jalalabad. A progressive and a keen horticulturist Karan has credit of cultivating quality kinnows, guavas and grapes at his farm. Owing to his qualities of leadership and his zest for welfare of ruralities, 200-odd voters of the newly-created panchayat of Ghaniani village unanimously elected him as their leader on June 9, 1998 when he was just 21 years and 4 months old. The minimum age for being elected sarpanch is 21 years. Karan Gilhotra says he shall strive for providing round-the-clock electricity to village residents and all-round development of village and uplift of their living standard. His name figures in Limca Book of Records in its 1999 edition. Contributed by
TNS, Sushil Manav, and Praful Chander Nagpal. |
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