Ability Forum

[JAGDISHNM]

DENIAL OF ACCESSIBILITY TO DISABLED BY USAGE OF SLIPPERY FLOORING MATERIALS.

Dear Friends,
The focus of all disability activists for accessibility of   premises / buildings is concentrated only on wheelchair ramps & lifts. No doubt they are very important & should be mandatory in all new structures. But, slowly & steadily most of the public & private premises are becoming disabled unfriendly (surprised?).
Apart from large no of wheelchair bound disabled, there is equally a large number of disabled using calipers, crutches, Jaipur-foot, etc. for their mobility. With everyone ( Govt. & Private Sector ) in the guise of modernization / renovation / improvement, changing / fixing slippery flooring materials ( like Granite, Spartek-Tiles, Mirror-Polished Marble, etc), the mobility of this disabled class is hampered specially in monsoon.
The fancy glazed flooring is ok if there is proper maintenance (as in McDonald Restaurant). But premises where only once only brooming is done & there is no dedicated staff to mop the floor to keep it dry, usage of slippery flooring material endangers life & limb of all & specially disabled & elderly.
     Hence it is imperative that disabled them selves or Disability Rights NGOs’ actively protest in case any public premises are being renovated with usage of slippery flooring materials. The argument about low upkeep ( maintenance ) cost for such materials can not over ride threat to safety. As per the records of Orthopedic Association now-a-days  maximum number of injury cases are due to fall in house itself specially on wet floorings like in bathrooms. There are cheap & good looking anti skid flooring materials available like Green Kota, Tiles with grooves, etc. & for sake of safety usage of such materials needs to be encouraged.
     Let each affected / to be affected person individually take up this issue with concerned authorities, who undertake such renovation. The initial request can be followed up with RTI application & also information about financial aspects, approving engineers, etc. can be asked for further proactive action. For reference I am pasting one such matter of Railways who used similar material at 2 Mumbai Suburban Stations ( Kurla  & Chinchpokli ) & with protest in news papers rectified the problem.


                                        15th July, 2007.
Sri. B.L. Meena,
Executive Director (PG) & P.I.O.
Ministry of Railways,
Room No. 471, 4th Floor,
RAILWAY  BOARD,
New Delhi – 110001.

Dear Sir,
Sub.-      Application  under RTI Act

     I am making this application under RTI Act, 2005 & as required I am enclosing herewith Postal Order for Rs. 10/- towards fees payable along with copies of relevant papers.
     
Through my emails dt. 1/7/07, 4/8/07, 5/8/07& subsequent below pasted email dt. 19/8/07, I had requested for suitable action for non repetition of lapses by your officials for usage of slippery flooring materials ( which endangers life & limb of public apart from avoidable additional outflow of public funds). My last email to Railway Board officials is;
  
----- Original Message -----
From: JAGDISH N. MOTWANI
To: crb@rb.railnet.gov.in ; fc@rb.railnet.gov.in ; swcyrb@rb.railnet.gov.in ; amce@rb.railnet.gov.in ; amproj@rb.railnet.gov.in ; amstaff@rb.railnet.gov.in ; osdsfty@rb.railnet.gov.in ; legaladv@rb.railnet.gov.in
Cc: edmew@rb.railnet.gov.in ; edproj@rb.railnet.gov.in ; edsafety@rb.railnet.gov.in ; jsecyrb@rb.railnet.gov.in ; edw@rb.railnet.gov.in
Sent: Sunday, August 19, 2007 11:49 PM
Subject: Action against Railway officials for use of slippery flooring material

DEAR SIRS,
REGRET TO INFORM THAT DESPITE EMAILS & DPG'S LETTER, I HAVE NOT EVEN RECEIVED AKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR MY COMPLAINT ON INVOLVED SOCIAL ISSUE.
TRUST NOW IT WILL RECEIVE DUE CONSIDERATION.
THANKS & REGARDS

----- Original Message -----
From: JAGDISH N. MOTWANI
To: msahoo@nic.in
Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2007 10:33 PM
Subject: Action against Railway officials for use of slippery flooring material

Dear Sirs,
This  communication is being written as a concerned citizen & trust it will receive the due attention & action along with confidentiality.
This has reference to;
1.     Letters dated 27/4/07 & 21/5/07, under Ref. No. BB/C/PG/302/RTI/APR-07/148, from P.I.O., Central Railway, DRM’s office, Commercial Br., CST, Mumbai-1.
2.     Articles in Mumbai Mirror dt. 25/3/07 & 5/4/07 about Kurla station bridge.
3.     Letter in Times of India dt. 17/10/03 about Chinchpokli station.
These documents clearly establish that Chief Engineer ( approving contract ) & Engineers ( Bridge & Works )-( supervising completion ) have been negligent in not taking care of making Public Places Safe for usage. Infact their actions have caused Threat to Life & Limb of public who access Railway premises fitted with slippery flooring materials.
Apart from the above, use of such costly ceramic flooring also results in higher expenditure & thus wastage of Public Funds. When, non  slippery, cheap & equally aesthetically & functionally good flooring materials are available in the market, then why Railway Engineers have not opted for the same?
Apart from the above, after grinding the flooring of Kurla bridge’s appearance is affected & problems of dirt accumulation is higher.
To avoid repetition of such lapses, wastage of public funds & threat to life & limb of public and also to act as deterrence for future civil works, I request for initiating suitable departmental action against the officials involved.
Kindly inform me of the action taken, failing which I will be constrained to file RTI application for action taken on this communication.
Please note that contents of this letter are not against any individual/s but this is to highlight the deficiencies for general public welfare.
With Thanks & Regards
1/7/07.

Your Complaint is Successfully Registered. Note your
Registration No. DARPG/E/2007/04457
for later references.

Your Complaint is Successfully Registered. Note your
Registration No. DPG/R/2007/80046
for later references.

     
With reference to the above, kindly inform me about,

1.     Action initiated / to be initiated  against the responsible officers for 2 involved stations.
2.     Steps taken or proposed to avoid such danger & expenses in future at other places.
3.     Reply given for complaint with DPG ( Cabinet secretariat ) for complaint lodged.

Kindly inform me by post / courier.
Thanking you in anticipation.
                              Yours,



                         ( Jagdish  N.  Motwani )  

Enclosed- P.O. for Rs. 10/-, Letters from Central Railway, News Paper reports, etc.

DENIAL OF ACCESSIBILITY TO DISABLED BY USAGE OF SLIPPERY FLOORING MATERIALS.

Dear Friends,
The focus of all disability activists for accessibility of   premises / buildings is concentrated only on wheelchair ramps & lifts. No doubt they are very important & should be mandatory in all new structures. But, slowly & steadily most of the public & private premises are becoming disabled unfriendly (surprised?).
Apart from large no of wheelchair bound disabled, there is equally a large number of disabled using calipers, crutches, Jaipur-foot, etc. for their mobility. With everyone ( Govt. & Private Sector ) in the guise of modernization / renovation / improvement, changing / fixing slippery flooring materials ( like Granite, Spartek-Tiles, Mirror-Polished Marble, etc), the mobility of this disabled class is hampered specially in monsoon.
The fancy glazed flooring is ok if there is proper maintenance (as in McDonald Restaurant). But premises where only once only brooming is done & there is no dedicated staff to mop the floor to keep it dry, usage of slippery flooring material endangers life & limb of all & specially disabled & elderly.
     Hence it is imperative that disabled them selves or Disability Rights NGOs’ actively protest in case any public premises are being renovated with usage of slippery flooring materials. The argument about low upkeep ( maintenance ) cost for such materials can not over ride threat to safety. As per the records of Orthopedic Association now-a-days  maximum number of injury cases are due to fall in house itself specially on wet floorings like in bathrooms. There are cheap & good looking anti skid flooring materials available like Green Kota, Tiles with grooves, etc. & for sake of safety usage of such materials needs to be encouraged.
     Let each affected / to be affected person individually take up this issue with concerned authorities, who undertake such renovation. The initial request can be followed up with RTI application & also information about financial aspects, approving engineers, etc. can be asked for further proactive action. For reference I am pasting one such matter of Railways who used similar material at 2 Mumbai Suburban Stations ( Kurla  & Chinchpokli ) & with protest in news papers rectified the problem.


                                        15th July, 2007.
Sri. B.L. Meena,
Executive Director (PG) & P.I.O.
Ministry of Railways,
Room No. 471, 4th Floor,
RAILWAY  BOARD,
New Delhi – 110001.

Dear Sir,
Sub.-      Application  under RTI Act

     I am making this application under RTI Act, 2005 & as required I am enclosing herewith Postal Order for Rs. 10/- towards fees payable along with copies of relevant papers.
     
Through my emails dt. 1/7/07, 4/8/07, 5/8/07& subsequent below pasted email dt. 19/8/07, I had requested for suitable action for non repetition of lapses by your officials for usage of slippery flooring materials ( which endangers life & limb of public apart from avoidable additional outflow of public funds). My last email to Railway Board officials is;
  
----- Original Message -----
From: JAGDISH N. MOTWANI
To: crb@rb.railnet.gov.in ; fc@rb.railnet.gov.in ; swcyrb@rb.railnet.gov.in ; amce@rb.railnet.gov.in ; amproj@rb.railnet.gov.in ; amstaff@rb.railnet.gov.in ; osdsfty@rb.railnet.gov.in ; legaladv@rb.railnet.gov.in
Cc: edmew@rb.railnet.gov.in ; edproj@rb.railnet.gov.in ; edsafety@rb.railnet.gov.in ; jsecyrb@rb.railnet.gov.in ; edw@rb.railnet.gov.in
Sent: Sunday, August 19, 2007 11:49 PM
Subject: Action against Railway officials for use of slippery flooring material

DEAR SIRS,
REGRET TO INFORM THAT DESPITE EMAILS & DPG'S LETTER, I HAVE NOT EVEN RECEIVED AKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR MY COMPLAINT ON INVOLVED SOCIAL ISSUE.
TRUST NOW IT WILL RECEIVE DUE CONSIDERATION.
THANKS & REGARDS

----- Original Message -----
From: JAGDISH N. MOTWANI
To: msahoo@nic.in
Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2007 10:33 PM
Subject: Action against Railway officials for use of slippery flooring material

Dear Sirs,
This  communication is being written as a concerned citizen & trust it will receive the due attention & action along with confidentiality.
This has reference to;
1.     Letters dated 27/4/07 & 21/5/07, under Ref. No. BB/C/PG/302/RTI/APR-07/148, from P.I.O., Central Railway, DRM’s office, Commercial Br., CST, Mumbai-1.
2.     Articles in Mumbai Mirror dt. 25/3/07 & 5/4/07 about Kurla station bridge.
3.     Letter in Times of India dt. 17/10/03 about Chinchpokli station.
These documents clearly establish that Chief Engineer ( approving contract ) & Engineers ( Bridge & Works )-( supervising completion ) have been negligent in not taking care of making Public Places Safe for usage. Infact their actions have caused Threat to Life & Limb of public who access Railway premises fitted with slippery flooring materials.
Apart from the above, use of such costly ceramic flooring also results in higher expenditure & thus wastage of Public Funds. When, non  slippery, cheap & equally aesthetically & functionally good flooring materials are available in the market, then why Railway Engineers have not opted for the same?
Apart from the above, after grinding the flooring of Kurla bridge’s appearance is affected & problems of dirt accumulation is higher.
To avoid repetition of such lapses, wastage of public funds & threat to life & limb of public and also to act as deterrence for future civil works, I request for initiating suitable departmental action against the officials involved.
Kindly inform me of the action taken, failing which I will be constrained to file RTI application for action taken on this communication.
Please note that contents of this letter are not against any individual/s but this is to highlight the deficiencies for general public welfare.
With Thanks & Regards
1/7/07.

Your Complaint is Successfully Registered. Note your
Registration No. DARPG/E/2007/04457
for later references.

Your Complaint is Successfully Registered. Note your
Registration No. DPG/R/2007/80046
for later references.

     
With reference to the above, kindly inform me about,

1.     Action initiated / to be initiated  against the responsible officers for 2 involved stations.
2.     Steps taken or proposed to avoid such danger & expenses in future at other places.
3.     Reply given for complaint with DPG ( Cabinet secretariat ) for complaint lodged.

Kindly inform me by post / courier.
Thanking you in anticipation.
                              Yours,



                         ( Jagdish  N.  Motwani )  

Enclosed- P.O. for Rs. 10/-, Letters from Central Railway, News Paper reports, etc.

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