From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Jun 4: Given the hard reality of those in power hardly bothering to respond to the demands and needs of the people, Union Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh demonstrated that he is a sensitive kind of person when he readily responded to the plea of a group of speech and hearing impaired school students at a function.

He promised to waive entry fee in museums and parks controlled by his ministry for speech and hearing impaired persons while launching a special nature camp for the disadvantaged students from the four southern states at the Bannerghatta Biological Park on the city outskirts.

The students, who communicated their demand through their sign language, indicated that they cannot afford entry fee when they visit museums and appealed to the minister that an interpreter with the knowledge of sign language be made available at museums to assist them.

Twenty students from select schools in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and hosts Karnataka are attending the four-day camp, in which they would be given insights into environment issues and ecological importance of forest.

Ramesh also inaugurated an exhibition on Biodiversity of Western Ghats at the Institute of Wood Science and Technology here, which will be open for public view for four days.

He also planted a sandalwood sapling at the institute.