S. JEYARAJ, 31, a committee member of the Independent Living and Training Centre, is disabled and wheelchair bound due to an occupational injury.

The accident happened on Jan 3, 2006, when he was working as an engineering technician in Singapore. The incident dislocated his spinal bone and he became paralysed.

“This kind of programme is definitely welcome and will surely benefit the disabled. However such programmes are not something easily conducted and the organisation that runs it must take it seriously,” Jeyaraj said.

According to him, it is important to decide who will be the managers handling the programmes.

“I’m sure the programme will be more successful when the disabled people themselves are involved in running them. They must also carefully choose those who really need such programmes.”