| FEATURE - India's downtrodden disabled find power in the law
BANGALORE (Reuters) - When disabled Hindu worshippers in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu were blocked from entering temples with their wheelchairs and crutches, Meenakshi Balasubramanian knew she had the law on her side. The disabled rights activist, who herself has polio, sued the temple authorities in the state's high court, and won. Today, she said, temples must provide wheelchairs to disabled visitors if they ban them from bringing in their own medical equipment on the basis the devices are ritually impure. "I do feel it's our right, a religious right, a fundamental right," Balasubramanian said. "We need to be allowed to worship the way we want to." Tired of waiting for the government to safeguard their rights to pray, work, learn and travel, India's 22 million disabled people are increasingly turning to the courts.
Wheelchair-accessible ramps
The University of Massachusetts Transit system added five new buses to its fleet in the middle of August, and plans to add another five by the end of the academic year.
The new buses were designed to be more accommodating to disabled passengers and are equipped with wheelchair-accessible ramps.
"On the older buses, passengers had to roll their wheelchairs onto the lifts in the back, and the bus driver would operate the lift. With the new buses, they can just roll on by themselves," said Transit Services manager, Al Byam.
The buses, which were manufactured by Gillig Corp. of Hayward, California, are run by the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA). They are blue and orange, seat 40 passengers, and are marked with the new PVTA logo.
"The new buses also have the most fuel efficient diesel engine," said Byam.
Disabled cruisers need to plan ahead
Cruise-bound travelers with disabilities, especially wheelchair users, can't take anything for granted. While cruise lines profess to be wheelchair-user friendly, there are instances where they are not. For anyone with a serious disability who is interested in cruising, full disclosure of your problem to the cruise line or travel agent doing the booking is a must. Every cruise line has a toll-free number and guest access specialists to help passengers with disabilities, whether it's a wheelchair issue, a hearing or sight impairment, questions about oxygen for those with respiratory problems or other medical problems. Ask the cruise line or your travel agent questions until the answers are crystal clear to you and you feel comfortable embarking on a new experience.
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