Sukhada Marathe

epaper.lokmat.com/articlepage.ph… My weekly column on issues of Disability in daily Lokmat today on Sunday May 31,2026 highlights a recent Supreme Court direction to eight National Law Universities (NLUs) to undertake a detailed assessment of implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 across states and Union Territories, while noting that most governments have now appointed Nodal Officers to coordinate the court-monitored exercise under “Project Ability Empowerment,” as implementation of disability rights legislation by several states and UTs remained inadequate, the apex court further observed. The latest order to widened the exercise into a broader review of implementation of the RPwD Act across the country. @Sugamyata @MSJEGOI @ambedkariteIND @Yurialemao9 @goadisability @nagvekarvishant @the_quantumjump @bibianatoby @PercyBillimoria @asharmeet02

I support this. PsWD are in much need for such things.

Mr. Vishant Nagvekar @nagvekarvishant, Member of Goa State Advisory Board on Disability and a person with Disability himself has written to the Directorate of Health Services, Goa @DHS_Goa with a copy to The State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities @discommgoa @grpawaskar @tahahaaziq and to the Directorate of Public Grievances, Goa government seeking Reasonable Accommodation and emergency return transportation mechanism for Persons with Disabilities availing 108 Ambulance Services. Mr. Nagvekar 's please says that a serious issue concerning the absence of accessible emergency return transportation and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities availing 108 ambulance services during odd hours is respectfully brought to the attention of your office for urgent consideration and necessary policy intervention. A few days ago, at approximately 2:30 a.m., a sudden medical emergency arose at my residence situated at Government Quarters No. C-49, Altinho, Panaji-Goa, where I am person with 89% disability, reside with my wife without any additional family support or caregiver assistance. In view of the emergency situation, the 108 Emergency Ambulance Service was immediately contacted and the ambulance arrived promptly. The ambulance personnel advised that I should be shifted to the Primary Health Centre, Panaji-Goa, for medical examination and possible treatment. However, my wife raised a genuine and practical concern before the ambulance attendant regarding the availability of return transportation during such late-night hours in the event hospitalization or admission was not required. Unfortunately, no satisfactory response, assurance or alternative arrangement was provided by the ambulance personnel concerning return transportation. Owing to the complete absence of any support mechanism or accessible transportation arrangement during such odd hours, my wife and I were ultimately compelled to abandon the idea of visiting the Primary Health Centre despite the prevailing medical emergency. It is further submitted that no medical treatment was administered at the spot by the ambulance personnel and it was orally stated that if any untoward incident were to occur thereafter, the ambulance personnel should not be held responsible. The aforesaid incident exposes a serious systemic deficiency affecting persons with disabilities and vulnerable households during medical emergencies. Situations of this nature place persons with disabilities at grave disadvantage, particularly where the disabled individual resides only with a spouse, elderly parents, minor children or other dependent family members without any external support structure. There are numerous households where a person with disability is himself/herself the sole caregiver, earning member or support system for aged parents, children or medically dependent family members. In such circumstances, compelling a person with disability to travel to a medical facility during late-night emergencies without any assured mechanism for safe return transportation effectively defeats the very object of accessible emergency healthcare services and discourages persons with disabilities from availing emergency medical assistance. It is respectfully submitted that the principles of “reasonable accommodation”, “non-discrimination”, “equal opportunity” and “accessibility” are statutory obligations recognized under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. The obligation to provide meaningful access to emergency healthcare services cannot be treated as complete merely upon transporting a patient to a healthcare facility, especially where the concerned individual belongs to a vulnerable disability category and lacks independent mobility or support systems during emergency hours. C/F @visrane @FrazellaA @GoaGmc @DrRajeshPatil20 @goadisability @the_quantumjump @VijaiSardesai @Yurialemao9

Vishant Nagvekar @nagvekarvishant, a person with Disability and a Member, Goa State Advisory Board on Disability has formally lodged a complaint to Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disability, New Delhi, @Office_of_CCPD, Maharashtra State Disability Commissioner @disabilitycomm and Goa State Disability Commissioner @discommgoa complaining against openly discriminatory, illegal and unconstitutional restriction imposed upon Persons with Disabilities by “TAP Resto Bar”, Mumbai. In his complaint Mr. Nagvekar has inter alia stayed that this case was a matter involving grave public safety concerns, unlawful discrimination, exclusionary practices and denial of equal access to persons with disabilities by a commercial establishment operating in Mumbai and therefore, he has brought to the attention of the concerned authorities for immediate intervention, investigation and strict legal action. He further stated that it has come to notice that a public-facing signboard displayed at the establishment operating under the name “TAP Resto Bar” contains the following shocking, discriminatory and unlawful condition: “PHYSICALLY DISABLED & INJURED PERSON NOT ALLOWED DUE TO SAFETY REASONS” The aforesaid condition is not merely offensive and discriminatory, but constitutes an alarming public admission by the establishment itself that the premises are allegedly unsafe for a section of the public, namely persons with disabilities. Such a declaration by a licensed commercial establishment raises extremely serious concerns regarding public safety compliance, accessibility standards, emergency preparedness, evacuation capability and the legality of permissions granted for operation of the premises. The issue involved herein is, therefore, not confined merely to discrimination against persons with disabilities, but extends to the larger and more serious question as to whether the establishment is structurally, operationally and legally safe for occupation by the general public itself. If the premises are genuinely unsafe for persons with disabilities, injured individuals or persons with reduced mobility during emergency situations, evacuation requirements or public occupancy, then a serious and unavoidable question arises as to how the establishment has been permitted to commercially operate as a public venue at all. A commercial establishment operating under public licenses and permissions cannot legally evade statutory accessibility and safety obligations by simply excluding persons with disabilities from entry. The law mandates inclusion, accessibility, reasonable accommodation and safe access — not exclusion under the guise of “safety reasons”, stated the complainant seeking immediate action against the commercial establishment. @MSJEGOI @MahaChiefSec @rajeshaggarwal @sgr_ray @goadisability @tahahaaziq @the_quantumjump @abhimurugkar @amarjain2006 @rahul400 @Sugamyata @drsitu @GaureeM_TOI @Shahinlambe86

linkedin.com/posts/wfhemoph… 6 treatment centers data says 7% population in india gets prophylaxis =wfh , what does HFI @HemoIndia data say? @GoaHemophilia @mumbai_chapter @HemophiliaX @RaipurChap50062 @indohemophilia @HSNC_Hemophilia @PuneHemophilia @PremroopAlva @SureshHanagavad @the_quantumjump @discommgoa

Excellent experience at Kamaxi Temple, Shiroda, Goa 🙏♿ Truly happy to see a temple that is fully accessible for PsWD. Accessibility like this makes devotion inclusive for everyone. A wonderful example of thoughtful infrastructure and equal access. @PrakashWKamatPK

Thank you so much @Navhind_Times for wonderful illustrated coverage of the fest. @the_quantumjump @goenchofestakar

Grateful to my parents, students & Supportive parents for the trust ❤️

Goa needs more such inclusive Fests where spreading of message of Accessibility, empowerment of persons of disability is equally important among other things. @goenchofestakar has to be credited for reviving various age-old traditions and occupations of Goa. Giving boost to Goa's art, culture, music and cuisine. He has been encouraging the people to give by spreading the concept of Personal Social Responsibility at these Festas which are clean and pure fun for diverse sections of the society 🙏♥️ @goadisability @nagvekarvishant @discommgoa

Collective Appeal from the Blind Community: Google TTS Needs Action, Not Just Acknowledgment. This is a comprehensive public report on "Speech Services by Google" (Google TTS). We are posting this publicly because these issues are not new. They have been reported by multiple users over a long period, and many have already been accepted by your teams through standard feedback channels. We do not need to "DM for details" or "provide audio recordings." We need these long-standing issues and accepted feature requests to be fixed and implemented. The post is clear to avoid any confusion: PART 1: ACKNOWLEDGED FEATURE REQUESTS (NOT IMPLEMENTED) 1. User Dictionary: We still have no ability to create a user dictionary to fix custom pronunciations (e.g., for names or technical words). 2. Uninstall Default Voices: We still cannot uninstall the default English (US) voice pack, which wastes storage and clutters the menu. 3. Number Processing: We still have no feature to choose how numbers are read. The default "millions, billions" format is annoying, and we need options (like digit-by-digit). 4. Date Processing: We still have no feature to customize date formats. We need to be able to set regional standards (e.g., DD/MM/YYYY for India). PART 2: LONG-STANDING BUGS (NOT FIXED) 1. "Zero" Pronunciation Bug: The digit "0" is still incorrectly read as the letter "O" (e.g., "one O five" instead of "one zero five"). This affects all English variants (US, UK, IN, AU, NG). 2. Poor Audio Quality: The voices are not "clear, crisp, and crystal." They are muffled and sound nasally, "like somebody is speaking in the nose." 3. High Latency (Accessibility Failure): The TTS has "huge latency" and is "sluggish." This makes accessibility services like Explore by Touch (TalkBack) "pathetic" and unusable. The "quick responsive" feedback needed for scrolling and swiping is completely absent. 4. No Expressiveness: The engine ignores punctuation. A sentence ending in a question mark (?) is read with the same flat, declarative tone as a period, failing to convey intent. 5. Broken Auto-Language Switching: The auto-language detection "is not working properly." When it does try to switch, it introduces a "huge delay" that disrupts the flow of reading. 6. Incorrect Voice Switching: The system ignores the user's selected "desire voice." For example, a user sets Voice A for English and Voice B for a regional language. When reading, the system will suddenly use a random Voice C for the regional language, creating inconsistency and confusion. 7. Unsolicited Voice Downloads: Google TTS is still automatically downloading unnecessary voices that the user never requested. Even after being manually uninstalled, the system forcibly re-downloads them, wasting data and storage against the user's explicit wishes. These are not new reports requiring investigation. They are well-documented failures requiring action. We request escalation and a timeline for these fixes. @Google @GoogleAccess @Android @sundarpichai @MissionAccess_ @dequesystems @accessibility00 @LevelAccessA11y @IAAPOrg @A11yNews @MSFTEnable @acbnational @NFB_voice @BlindUnion @IDA_CRPD_Forum @socialpwds @GoI_MeitY @_DigitalIndia @ncpedp_india @Ncpwds @BeMyEyes @DisabRights_Ind @FreedomSci @APHfortheBlind @fbaccess @NVAccess @DisabilityRepor @BlindDroidUsers @AndroidDev @AndroidAuth @androidcentral @AndroidPolice @_ShivamBhatt @Sindhuvasini @VGTtweets @ppranava68 @NirendraNagar @amarjain2006 @mtonykurian @Rahul400 @istemtech @yatinpanchal143 @PrakashWKamatPK @drvj70 @GyanTherapy @iamasagar @friendsofeyeway @ScoFoIndia @MishaalRahman #GoogleTTS #SpeechServicesByGoogle #TalkBack #AndroidAccessibility #Accessibility #BlindCommunity #ScreenReaderUsers #UserDictionary #CustomPronunciation #NumberProcessing #LowLatency #FixGoogleTTS #AccessibilityMatters #DisabilityRights #InclusionMatters #AccessibilityForAll #DigitalInclusion #TechForAll #EqualAccess #FixAccessibility #AccessibleTech

Before calling them dangerous, ask yourself — Did they get food, kindness, vaccination or safety from humans? 💔🐶 @indSupremeCourt @PMOIndia @BhagwantMann #StreetDogs

Our Rama Parsekar, a 100 per cent Visually impaired person from Keri Sattari(Goa), a computer trainer, taught me the Goan traditional age-old skill of "Molla-making" at the Mogachem Fest by @goenchofestakar at Tia Maria's Village Bistro at Caranzalem Goa. @the_quantumjump

Grateful to have attended #MOGACHEMFEST2026 in Goa. 🌴✨ It was a wonderful experience celebrating Goan culture and meeting so many amazing people. ❤️ Special thanks to Sir Prakash Kamat and Sir Avelino for the kind invitation and warm hospitality. 🙏 @PrakashWKamatPK

@PrakashWKamatPK @discommgoa @grpawaskar @BITSPilaniGoa wheelchair user cannot be forced to use a random wheelchair provided at a place or institution. A wheelchair is not merely a chair, it is a personal mobility device carefully selected and adjusted according to the user’s body, posture, balance, medical condition and independence

@nagvekarvishant @PrakashWKamatPK @discommgoa @grpawaskar @BITSPilaniGoa I agree.Especially spine patient like me have special rules to follow with regards to wheelchair use.

@PrakashWKamatPK @discommgoa @grpawaskar @BITSPilaniGoa Forcing a wheelchair user to shift from their personal wheelchair to another wheelchair can affect mobility, safety, dignity, comfort, and equal access. Such actions may amount to denial of accessibility and discrimination.

Goa State Disability Commissioner @discommgoa @grpawaskar seeks explanation and seeks an action taken report in 15 days from the management of The Birla Radhakrishna Temple, Bits Pilani campus,Goa @BITSPilaniGoa in response to a complaint by a girl with disability using wheelchair that recently she was denied entry to the temple in her wheelchair. It must be noted as part of public awareness that for a person in a wheelchair for a permanent Disability, the wheelchair is part of their person. Public authorities, institutions including religious institutions must sensitise their staff on duty that it is illegal to deny entry to them in their wheelchair. @the_quantumjump @armanaly @tahahaaziq @goadisability @abhimurugkar @nagvekarvishant @thegoanonline @Shahinlambe86 @RadhikaSatoskar @prudentgoa @PrimeTVGoa @purpleTV @oheraldogoa @ashrosarioingo1 @sagarjawdekar @VijaiSardesai @AltNews @GaureeM_TOI @bhaangarbhuin @goanvarta

More participation of women in political, social life, in governance in executive, judiciary,media at decision-making levels and in implementation processes from top to bottom. Why not possible. Whole lot of women are educated and waiting for equal opportunity. @SachiRupaliK @the_quantumjump @advamitachate @DrVrushaliRaut

A meeting of the District Disaster Management Authority was held under the chairmanship of @Coll_NorthGoa Ankit Yadav, to review the status of preparedness for the coming monsoon season. Directions were given to all the deputy collectors and mamlatdars to ensure taluka level control rooms are functional 24×7 during the monsoon period. Further in view of the decisions taken by the State Disaster Management Authority, directions were given to PWD, WRD, municipalities and panchayats to take pro-active preventive measures pertaining to the water logging and landslide prone areas and dilapidated structures in the district, a list of which was shared with all the stakeholders. Taluka wise review of these cases was done and directions were issued to the line departments to take the required mitigation measure in advance to prevent any danger to life and property. - Every year we suggest and I put it up in the recently held meeting of the State Advisory Board on Disability under Minister for Empowerment @S_Phal_Dessai that the Disaster Management Committee must have a representative of Disability community as they are one of the vulnerable stakeholders who face problems during any man-made or natural disasters, especially,during the Monsoons. We request the Collectors of all three Districts to do this. @Coll_SouthGoa @EgnaCleetus @discommgoa @DrPramodPSawant @VijaiSardesai @Yurialemao9

Encourage, elect, appointment and support the maximum participation of women in decision making and processes of policy and implementation at all levels from top to bottom, and this country will march ahead with more confidence and inclusive development.🫡🙏 @the_quantumjump @SachiRupaliK @_sabanaqvi

Sukhada Marathe @the_quantumjump , a Goa girl with Disability on Sunday emailed a formal Complaint to Goa State Disability Commissioner @discommgoa @grparashar regarding Denial of Access and Discrimination at Birla Temple, Goa under RPwD Act, 2016. Sukhada Shrihari Marathe, Educator, and a person with locomotor disability and a wheelchair user, has narrated a serious incident of denial of access and discrimination that occurred on 17th May 2026 between 8:00 PM and 8:30 PM at Birla Temple, Goa. During my visit to the temple, she observed that the premises were accessible. However, she was not permitted to enter the main temple area with her personal wheelchair. Despite the accessibility within the premises, no reasonable accommodation or alternative arrangement was provided to ensure her equal participation as a devotee on par with others. "This resulted in exclusion and humiliation in a public religious space that is expected to be inclusive and accessible to all individuals, regardless of disability" , said Ms. Marathe. She further asserts "I would also like to emphasize that this complaint is not only for my individual grievance but is being submitted in larger public interest. I am raising this issue to ensure that such incidents of exclusion, discrimination, and denial of dignity are not repeated with any other person with disability in the future." "This incident appears to be in violation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, particularly provisions relating to equality, non-discrimination, and reasonable accommodation,"she said and added, "In light of the above, I respectfully request your good office to: 1. Conduct a formal inquiry into this incident 2. Seek clarification from the concerned temple authorities 3. Ensure compliance with accessibility and disability rights norms 4. Issue appropriate directions/advisories to prevent such incidents in the future 5. Safeguard the dignity and equal access rights of persons with disabilities in all public and religious spaces." - As I got a copy of the complaint marked to me as a Member Goa State Advisory Board on Disability, I urge the Commissioner to take this complaint seriously and take action as religious places must be accessible and must not discriminate against people with disabilities. Prakash Kamat,Goa. @abhimurugkar @nagvekarvishant @Coll_NorthGoa @Coll_SouthGoa @EgnaCleetus