Mission Ability Beyond Disability

Reaching out to the Disabled and the Downtrodden

The Mission- ''Ability Beyond Disability'' was conceptualised and structured by the Army in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, GOI. Lanched on July 2005 by Mrs Anupama Singh, wife of  General(retd) J.J.Singh,former Army Chief and the present Governor of Arunachal Pradesh , it envisages direct linkage with the beneficiary, their caregivers and the rehabilitation professionals. This outreach mission adopts an innovative strategy which combines the capabilities of the Armed forces with the services of the rehabilitation professionals and utilises the local  resources in order to create a multiplier effect that enhances community level participation and the involvement of the public at large on which the pillars of the mission rests.

The objective of this Missin is to remove the barriers that have relegated the disabled persons and to provide them with supportive assistive devices conducive to their impairment which would enable them to hone up their ability to beat the disability and be a valued citizen of the country. To reach the unreached, to establish a link between the rehab professionals and those in need, to complement Govt endeavours and to strengthen the field based initiatives for effectively and effeciently respond to the needs of the people with a committment to create a better tomorrow, are the challenges that the Mission has accepted to face.

Since its operation the Mission has benefitted over 10,000 beneficiaries by conducting 28 free assistive devices camps and has reached out to the lesser privileged citizens of remote , difficult and inaccessible areas of the country  from Kargil, Dras, to the upper and interior regions of J&K to the remote undeserved areas of Ziro and Tawang of Arunachal Pradesh and further extending its services from the mainland to the tsunami devastated  Andaman island. The Mission has given the persons with disabilities a sense of confidence and helped them to become a changing force by looking at the environment rather than themselves. This wonderful Mission has been operationalised since its launching by the Mission Nodal officer, Colonel T.K. Chatterjee, who by his sheer dynamism and single minded pursuit has braved all odds and difficulties to conduct 25 such camps in the remote difficult areas.  Leading from the front  he has carried with himself and co-ordinated the contributions of the Army personnel, rehab professionals, the district machinery, the social workers and the public which in turn has rejuvenated community spirit and has led to the fantastic involvement of public at large which was so evident at the Seppa medical and assistive devices camp on August 17th.

Enhanced awareness, meticulous advocacy alongwith the delivery of services at the grassroot level coupled with the innovative approach of a more inclusive tool gives  a new dimension in the sphere of empowerment and mainstreaming of such persons at the grassroot level of the society which makes the mission the first of its kind.. The impact of such work is of high order which is evident from the fact that it found its mention in the 11th   5 year Planning Commission Recommendations Report of GOI, covering period from 2007 to 2012 , in view of its sterling performance and sensitizing the community towards such persons protection of their rights, equal opportunities and full participation.

The Disabled are the most disadvantageous and downtrodden section of our society and the challenging task taken by the Mission of their empowerment and development is quite visionary in approach and laudable. In the remote areas of Arunachal it is more so  significant if one takes into account the presence of China , and the conditions of frequent flashfloods, landslides and prolonged disruptions of communication and services at this high altitude area. Arunachal itself has got more than 33000 of persons with disabilities and their inaccessibility to the opportunities is the vital factor causing a barrier within their own society which has led to their marginalization. The effort of the Mission is to  rejuvenate this community and restore the faith of the public at large, thus showing its total committment to the North East.

The mission continuosly looks to reach out and connect people with the committment to empower and mainstreaming the persons with disabilities and drawing the brilliant lesson of Unity--Displine and Co-operation with the message---''Together We Can Make It Happen''.

The East Kameng district in  western  Arunachal  Pradesh is one of the most underdeveloped regions in the whole country. Situated at the bank of River Kameng, it covers an area of about 4153 sq kms and a population of about 59,000 people. Locationwise it is situated between  China in the North and Sonitpur dist of Assam in the South. A place of such great strategic importance should have been attributed great significance but on the contrary a number of factors have contributed to make the district and its populace, constituted mostly of tribals(the Nyishis are the majority as well as the most dominant tribe here), to languish. The rugged terrain with heavy rainfall, flash floods and frequent landslides have made the connectivity and communication very poor. Even the district HQ Seppa is one of the most underdeveloped that one would find anywhere across the country with just a few insipid schools, no colleges(one has to go to Itanagar to get college Education), just one namesake Hospital with one doctor and virtually no good facilities(any emergency and serious cases have to be brought as far down as to Tezpur through the dicey road network for treatment---many amongst them do not survive this ordeal , others get more acute and serious)and just one to one and half hour of power supply in the whole day( a huge irony when you see such huge water current all around you).The literacy rate is very low----currently only 47% have access to primary Education and a meagre 9.8% of the habitation has access to middle level Education within one way distance of 15 km , in the district.There is no provision for inclusive Education, early childhood Education and care or for that matter any adequately equipped vocational and teacher training centres to hone up  the abilities to meet the changing aspirations of the public or the children. The poor level of literacy and Education is breeding evils like ' goondaism' and tendency to extort money by the youth. A huge reason for all this dismal state of affairs, even at the face of all natural adversities, is the abject apathy of the successive State Govts of Arunachal to pay attention to this District, simply hiding behind the factors of 'natural extremity'. Kameng  became a full fledged district with its HQ at Seppa in 1980 in order to speed up the development process but the ground records themselves tell the strory of the apathy. There is only one Nationalised Bank in Seppa and not even one  post office with telehgraph facility. If the single road that runs all the way to the dist HQ is blocked or cut off for a period due to landslides or floods , there is an acute shortage of essntial commodities. Out of 13 Circle HQ's and 7 community development blocks only 3 are connected by roads and to reach the remotest Circle HQ Lada, one has to walk for 2 days at a stretch. The Goan Buras informed that the monsoon has been so severe, relentless and punishing this year that the tribals are even forced to barter the priceless traditional tribal ornanaments called 'Tadomoni' to get bare necessities like rice.The benefits of the Central Govt scheme either have not reached at all or else are just limping on (to apparently give the impression  that they are on). The PDS facility has ceased to exist. East Kameng and Seppa is distinctly a case of step motherly treatment when one considers all the recent attention that West Kameng district and Tawang is getting at the moment ,mainly to attract tourists.

In this backdrop, the unique effort being made by the Indian Army to bridge the hiatus between the mainstream and this undeserved remote region of AP is really praiseworthy. The 5 Mountain Division also called the Ball of Fire Division, situated at Tenga in West Kameng dist. is at present rendering yeomans service for this district, where they have no fixed base but is continuously looking after. The people of this remote district are ,of late ,also very grateful for the fantastic medical assistance that they are getting. The same is being provided to them through through distribution of free medicines or free medical camps. A unique assistive devices camp for the Persons with Disabilities under the 'Mission Ability Beyond Disability' campaign was held  for the first time at Seppa  on 17 th August and it benefitted over 2300 beneficiaries providing them with hearing aids, refractive spectacles, wheel chairs, auxiliary crutches, blind sticks, walking sticks, Braille equipments , all free of cost on the spot.The Seppa camp was a  collaboration between the Ball of Fire Division of the Army and  the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment , Govt of India  in  partnership with National Institute of Visually Handicapped, Artificial Limb Manufacturing Corp of India , local NGO's, the district administration as well as the public. The Camp was inaugurated by the GOC of the 5 Mountain, Major General Manvender Singh in the presence of   Deputy GOC Brigadier Anil Gupta,    Minister of Youth , Sports and Culture, Govt of AP, Atum Welly,   DC of the dist , Nani Mali,    the SP,  Mr Tumme Ammo , the Deputy Director , PIB , Govt of India, Pankaj Pandey , Colonel Tapas Chatterji , the Nodal Officer  and the moving force behind this campaign ,as well as senior military and district officials. The response from the local people was seen to be believed at the two day camp.Braving inclement weather and rain the people  stood in long queues to get medical aid. All Gaon Buras and Burees attended the Camp. They alongwith the local people time and again thanked the efforts of the Ball of Fire Division of the Army. '' We fiercely believe in our Doni Polo god . After him we can easily place the Army for all the good they are doing to us.'' , said some of the Gaon Burras.  Talking with the people  it also became quite apparent that they are quite nationalist and patriotic in their senses , even at this remote part and that too after being at the height of deprivation for so long.

Speaking after the inauguration of the Camp the GOC held out some more good news for the region in the form of the PMs recent annoncement of the Trans Arunachal Highway  that will connect the better part of Arunachal  along the line of Confluence of rivers and is also expected to give a much needed shot in the way of road connectivity even  in the East Kameng dist. Exuding positivity, he also informed that the Ball of Fire Division is now maintaing regular contact and meetings with the District Admintration to work with a co-ordinated approach. The GOC said that the Ball of Fire Division  is ready to provide more services to the people of the dist. if asked for by the administration. For the people he clearly outlined the Army's approach--''to create and generate awareness''. He also affirmed that the Army perceives no threat at present of any Chinese incursion into Arunachal.

The SP said that the police is making every attempt to keep all anti-social activity and activists in check. He also raised concern of the NDFB incurion into the Sijusa area of the East Kameng dist taking help of dense forest cover on both sides. '' We have inputs that these NDFB fellows are spreading their nuisance in the Sijusa area which falls in the sothernmost part of the dist.'', he said. Atum Welly said that the Govt of Arunachal is trying to impress upon  the Centre to declare East Kameng as the most backwasrd district in the country.   

The Kameng sector is strategically one of the most important sectors in Arunachal Pradesh vis -a -vis Chinese claims and statements on Arunachal . As already mentioned, traditionally the local population has been pro India consequent to the Chinese annexation of Tibet but surely one cannot sleep over this, particularly looking at socio economic changes taking place in the State as also the unrest in neighbouring states like Assam and Arunachal. Keeping this view the Army is out to win the hearts and minds of the people in this underdeveloped sector which surely requires great effort but is not a difficult proposition  as the Army already enjoys the reverence and affection of the locals. The local people view the Army as a sorce of employment  by way of porters and ponies which are utilised by the units on mountanous terrains. Both the local administration as well as the people are hugely grateful fo the civic actions being undertaken by the Army units in the remote areas. Rescue and relief operations undertaken by the army during frequent landslides/floods, for which the area is notorious , has also greatly enhanced the image of the Army.

The medical and assistive devices camp at Seppa was also perhaps the first real encounter/exposure of the media with the East Kameng dist, which is a breathtakingly beautiful place having its virgin lustre maintained. If this moves one immediately then the abject backwardness is also sure to hit anybody who encounters this far corner of the country. But for the people this deprivation seems to have become a way of life. The 5 Mountain Division of the Army is clearly their messiah today but the people of Seppa and the East Kameng dist need more support and attention from all quarters to shed the ignominy of the worst dist. in the whole country.

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