Port Blair, Nov. 30: On getting complaints of shortage of Faculty and staff, Shri D. Ayyappan, Secretary, CPI (M) Andaman & Nicobar State Organising Committee visited the Composite Regional Centre for Skill Development, Rehabilitation and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Brookshabad, Port Blair today (30.11.2022) and discussed the issue with the Resident Nodal Officer of the Centre. 

It was noticed that although 365 Children with Special Needs have registered with the Centre, only 40 – 45 are attending the Centre. It was found that the important posts of Speech Therapist, Clinical Psychologist, Physiotherapist and Occupational Therapist are lying vacant.  Faculty/Special Teachers are posted to the Centre from Chennai by the National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities (Divyangjan) on contract basis. On completion of the contract period, the services of these Faculty/Special Teachers are not extended by the National Institute and such Faculty/Special Teachers are returned to mainland, thereby paralyzing the functioning of the Centre. 

A number of children who need the services of Speech Therapist are facing problems due to the reason that such Faculty/Special Teachers are reportedly not available in these islands. It was learnt that out of the 14 sanctioned posts of Faculty and staff, only 6 persons are presently available in the Centre.

Shri Ayyappan met some parents in the Centre and heard their grievances. He assured the parents and the officials in the Centre that the non-availability of sufficient Faculty/Special Teachers will be taken up with the above-mentioned National Institute and Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Govt. of India.