TURA: Over six hundred citizens and school children from Tura town joined hands on Thursday actively taking part in a ‘Blind Walk’ campaign on the occasion of World Sight Day to spread awareness and encourage people to empathize with the visually challenged. The campaign saw people being blindfolded before letting a group of the visually challenged lead them.
Despite inclement weather due to cyclone Titli over the the Bay of Bengal, a host of dignitaries, including West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh, Fr. Sunny Joseph Mavelil, Director Bakdil, Bro. Jose, Rector Montfort Centre, Tura, Mrs. Sume B. Sangma, Secretary Mother’s Union, Tura, Fr. Bivan R. Mukhim, Principal Don Bosco College, Tura and representatives from Lion’s Club of Tura, Rotary Club of Tura, Marwari Yuva Manch and Central Puja Committee, Tura took the lead in the blind walk through the main thoroughfares of the town.
Kicking off the special walk, deputy commissioner Ram Singh, in his speech encouraged all to donate and help someone to see. “In the world, there are many visually impaired people and we who are able to see should do something for them. We should be ready to donate and let people see after we are gone,” he said. He congratulated those who took the initiative to organize the walk in Tura town.
The Chief Guest whistled off the march which was accompanied by the blind students from Montfort school, Tura, the MLP Band from Goeragre and the volunteers from NNS Don Bosco College and Mother’s Union School, Tura.
The visually challenged people who accompanied the Blind March ware gifted with bags sponsored by the Lion’s Club, the Rotary Club and the Marwari Yuva Manch. The programme was held in about 200 centres across India and the globe, including countries such as the US, China, Sri Lanka and Nepal to express solidarity with the visually challenged, making it the largest eye donation campaign in the world.