Learn sign language: Minister

Tribune News Service

Patiala, September 24

Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra today announced that the Punjab Government would open the state’s first centre for teaching sign language in here.

Attending a special function organised by the Patiala Association of Deaf at Harpal Tiwana Auditorium in the city, Jouramajra urged the people that everyone should learn sign language so that they could understand the feelings of physically challenged people and alleviate their predicament.

Meanwhile, physically challenged persons demanded that sign language should, at least, be an optional subject in schools. If more people are sign language literate, society would be more friendly towards them.

A 42-year-old disabled person shared with The Tribune that he had to face a lot of problems to live his routine life because people did not know sign language. “My interaction is restricted to a limited people, who know sign language,” he said.

Jouramajra applauded the efforts made by the hearing impaired people. He said people with disabilities had more passion than ordinary people but they were not provided with proper opportunities.

The government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, was not only providing special job opportunities to such people but also taking various steps to empower them, said the minister.

According to president, Patiala Association of Deaf and Dumb, Jagdeep Singh, these people could not speak and hear, but they had feelings and could understand everything.

Students of Bhagat Puran Singh Deaf School and Patiala School for Deaf and Blind presented a colourful cultural programme on the occasion.

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