Berhampur: The Braille printing press here, the only one in the state, is fighting hard for survival due to lack of adequate manpower and modernised equipment, a report said.
At this critical juncture, government support is the need of the hour to make the unit self sufficient.
Established by the Red Cross Society in 1986 to print special textbooks for visually impaired students in the state, the press brought a significant change in Braille studies and led to an increase in the number of visually challenged students in special schools.
However, the press which used to run with six to seven employees and print over 1,500 books annually is now managed by only two persons as the remaining staff members have left due to meagre wages and lack of service benefits. The existing employees are working for very low wages and without any service benefits when the employees of special schools for blind have been enrolled under various state government schemes.
Governments came and went but none spared a thought for its revival despite the press functioning under the social security and disability welfare department of the state government.
At present, there are over 80 special schools and institutions functioning in the state where more than 7,000 visually impaired student study from Class-I to X.
Earlier, books for visually impaired were printed in manual machines while two imported computerized hi-speed machines from Belgium were installed in 2013.
The installation of the computerised machines made it easier to print books in lesser time and greatly helped in revision and corrections. The press now prints over 15,000 books.
However, the need for a computerised Braille master plate making machine was soon felt as it would help in expediting the printing process and making the work easier in reducing book loads printed annually.
During enquiry, the machine was found priced at Rs 1 crore and manufactured in Germany. Accordingly, the state government requested the Centre to provide a computerised Braille master plate making machine for the press in November 2015.
A team from the Centre soon visited the press and took stock of the situation. However, the Centre is yet to provide the machine. The district administration even tried to seek the help of corporate houses, but with little success.
Moreover, the assistance provided by the state government to the press is insufficient. It has made a plan outlay of only Rs 5.20 lakh under non-plan expenditure for the press, which falls short of the requirement.
All the collectors and ex-officio presidents of District Red Cross Society who have worked here before 2000 have time and again apprised the state government of the sorry state of affairs in the press, but to no avail.
Locals have demanded urgent revivals of the press falling which it will seriously hit education of the visually impaired. PNN