People with disability in Coimbatore have something to cheer about. Though the public places in the city may not be disabled-friendly, the authorities have ensured that this time the voting booths are made so. This is a real motivation to those with disabilities to exercise their franchise without much effort.

Spreading this message and creating awareness among those with disability to go and cast their vote is Swarna Latha of Swarga Foundation. This is a Coimbatore-based NGO working to improve the lives of patients living with multiple sclerosis and neuro-diseases.

Founder of this NGO, Swarna Latha has created a two-minute video to convey the message about disabled friendly polling booths.

“The video, which is a puppet show, is a conversation between a woman and a child and conveys the message that the polling booths in our city are equipped with ramps and wheelchairs for the disabled. Through the video we are educating the disabled that the polling booths have volunteers to assist them. Thus, on May 16, they too must visit their respective polling booth and cast their vote as the process has been made hassle-free for them.” Swarna Latha says.

At the end of the nearly two-minute video Swarna Latha makes an appearance and shares that she too is wheelchair bound, yet on May 16, she will visit the voting booth and cast her vote.

In order to ensure that Coimbatore achieves 100 per cent voting, in the upcoming elections, several NGOs, social service organisations and corporate houses had arranged for awareness campaigns, marathons, rallies, flash mobs and lectures during the last couple of months.