Community radio for the blind soon

Taken from Times of India.
CHANDIGARH: The city's National Association for the Blind has proposed a special community radio for the visually impaired that will give solutions to their problems and keep them aware, updated and educated.

The radio will be a platform where more than 1,000 blind will get to know about employment opportunities, new mobile apps, health and hygiene, new aids and equipment in the market, eye camps, latest innovations, and current affairs.

"The information and broadcast ministry has this provision of community radios. We have many in the city, especially in educational institutes. Panjab University too has one. For blind, it is their hearing ability that helps them to stay connected with the world and get information. Therefore, I felt
he community radio would do wonders for them," said Vinod Chadha, president, National Association for the Blind for Chandigarh and Punjab.

"If we get a community radio, we will also have programmes to guide the visually impaired listeners on various aspects like how to get disability certificates, from where to get them and who to ask for help," he said.

The community radio is expected to benefit the students as well. "We will have subject-based and class-wise readings for an hour or so, where a mentor will teach a subject. This way, hundreds of students will be able to learn at once," said Chadha.

There will also be session where experts from various fields will listen to their problems and guide the listeners. Chadha informed that along with the blind, the community radio will also be useful for other listeners. "We would have talks by health experts on how to save the vision, how to take care
of eyes and what corrective measures should one take to avoid blindness." Through community radio he also wished to prepare students for competitive exams and give training like mobility training.

The proposal lies with social welfare department and if everything falls in place, then city will soon have its first community radio for the blind.

Source: Times of India.

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