Kids with deformities of Bhopal gas-hit families can be rehabilitated

By Pervez Bari

Bhopal: Chingari Trust has been working from the last 11 years for the rehabilitation congenitally Disabled children born in the families affected by the Bhopal Gas Tragedy and subsequent water contamination. Currently, 961 children are registered with the Chingari Trust and out of this 283 children come to Chingari every day and receive Physiotherapy, Occupational therapy, Speech therapy, Special education, Mid Day Meal, Medicines and Pick & drop facility and others facilities free of cost.

Mrs. Champa Devi Shukla, Managing Trustee of Chingari Trust, said: “We are really happy to see lots of positive changes in the children coming to Chingari Trust. Children who were unable to sit have now started running and children who were unable to utter a word are now speaking fluently and getting promoted in education as well. But, we have a deep regret that we are giving these facilities to only 283 children. 961 children are registered with Chingari Trust and many more such children are born in gas and water affected families.”

Mrs. Rashida Bee, Managing Trustee of Chingari Trust, said: “Chingari is an example we have presented in front of this world with limited resources. But, Government has no dearth of resources and could have easily started working on this issue long ago. Government need to restart programs like SPARC, which was closed by the govt due to so called shortage of funds. Under SPARC, survey was done and 2400 children with cardiac ailments were identified. Government should also pressurize Union Carbide/Dow chemical to take responsibility for the rehabilitation of such children.

While explaining about his work Physiotherapist Dr. Rishi Shukla says that from our physiotherapy department about 180 children are getting physiotherapy treatment regularly. Tremendous changes are seen in these children after physiotherapy sessions. About 79 children are now living almost normal lives.

Nosheen Khan (Speech Therapist) telling about the treatment of these children said that we have about 140 Children in our department, who have shown lots of improvement after getting speech therapy. 32 children have started attending normal school after receiving regular speech therapy sessions.
While giving an overview about his work Dr. Siddharth Yadav (Occupation Therapist) says that 48 children are being treated by Sensory integration technique. Among them 17 children have started giving attention to different activities. 14 children have started making an eye contact.

Giving information about special education Mr. Suryaprakash Singh said that 248 children are getting special education from our department out of which 65 children have started going to normal schools and 63 children have started doing their daily life activities.