New Delhi, 24th November, 2014


A high level delegation of the National Human Rights Commission, led by Chairperson, Mr. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, comprising Members, Mr. Justice Cyriac Joseph, Mr. Justice D. Murugesan, Mr. S.C. Sinha and senior officers will be visiting Chandigarh in connection with the Commission's Open Hearing and Camp Sitting being held at UT State Guest House at Sector - 6, Chandigarh from the 26th - 28th November, 2014.

On the first day, i.e., the 26th November, 2014, after the inauguration of the Open Hearing by the NHRC Chairperson at 10:00 a.m., the Commission will hear 95 cases of aggrieved people belonging to Scheduled Caste communities and the problems faced by them in seeking justice from the Government agencies. These complaints were received in response to the public notices published in the national and local dailies in the States of Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and UT of Chandigarh. In connection with these complaints, the responses of the concerned authorities have been called, which will be taken up during the Open Hearing in the presence of senior officers and the complainants.

On the second day, i.e., 27th November, 2014, the Commission will take up 28 cases in the Full Commission and Division Bench Sittings in its Camp Sitting at the same venue. These cases include matters relating to detention of eight Haryana STF policemen on extortion charges, untouchability, social boycott of Dalits, death in police custody, bonded labour, female foeticide, non-supply of ration under Supplementary Nutrition Programme to Aanganwadi for food etc. The Commission will also take up issues based on the inputs provided by its three teams recently sent to Mahendergarh in Haryana, Ferozepur in Punjab and Solan in Himachal Pradesh to monitor the delivery of social welfare programmes and schemes.

The aim of the Camp Sitting is to dispose of pending cases concerning one particular State by hearing the senior government officers; sensitize them about the importance of human rights issues; compliance of NHRC recommendations by them and meet the local NGOs to get an insight into the problems being faced by the people.

On the concluding day of the Camp Sitting, i.e., the 28th November, 2014, the Commission will hold a meeting with NGOs of the States of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and UT of Chandigarh on human rights issues at the UT State Guest House, Sector - 6, Chandigarh from 10.00 a.m. - 11.00 a.m. Thereafter at the same venue, the Commission will hold discussions with the Chief Secretaries/Administrator, DGPs, DMs, SPs and other senior civil, police and jail officers on the issues raised by the NGOs of these States and UT and on the issues raised during the Open Hearing and the Camp Sitting.

The other points of discussion with senior officers of Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh will be as follows:

(Haryana)

1. MNREGA not functional because funds are not being made available.
2. The Public Distribution System is in bad shape.
3. Non availability of specialists like Surgeon & Pediatricians etc. in government hospitals.
4. Jail Reforms. Juveniles being kept in regular jails. (3 in Mahendergarh) T.B. patients living with other inmates. Mental patients also kept in jail.
5. Irregular attendance of teachers in schools. Malfunctioning of Mid-day-Meal. A High Tension Electricity wire is passing over a school in Mahendergarh.
6. Vigilance Committees constituted u/s 13 of Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act are not meeting regularly.
7. Water contemplated by Fluoride in district Mahendergarh.
8. Female Foeticide.

(Punjab)

1. Steps taken by the State government to tackle the menace of drugs in the State.
2. Malfunctioning of Public Distribution System. Inadequate supply.
3. Funds not released for MNREGA. Wages not paid to labourers.
4. Vacancies of Doctors in Government Hospitals. Non availability of medicines in PHCs and CHCs.
5. Vacancies of teachers in schools.
6. Malfunctioning of Mid-day-meal scheme. Non release of funds.
7. Lack of transparency in Indira Awas Yojana.
8. Aanganwadi not functioning on the ground.
9. Female Foeticide.

(Himachal Pradesh)

1. Government hospitals not functioning properly. Not opening on time.
2. Education system not functioning properly. Strength of children in government schools very poor as compared to private schools.
3. Irregularities in Indira Awas Yojana.

Finally, on the concluding day, i.e., the 28th November, 2014, Mr. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Members of the Commission would brief the media from 03:00 - 03:30 p.m. at UT Guest House, Sector - 6, Chandigarh about the outcome of the Open Hearing and Camp Sitting as well as discussions with the NGOs and senior officers of the State Governments of Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and UT of Chandigarh for wider dissemination of information on the human rights issues and action taken by the NHRC for their protection and promotion.

Since its inception, the Commission has been actively engaged in protection and promotion of the rights of Scheduled Castes. Apart from taking cognizance suo-motu and on complaints relating to atrocities against Scheduled Castes, the Commission has also engaged key stakeholders on the issue; published booklets; and held training programmes and workshops aimed at sensitizing various stakeholders on the issue so as to eliminate atrocities, discrimination, and any other form of violation of their human rights.

The National Human Rights Commission, being deeply concerned about the atrocities against persons belonging to Scheduled Castes, requested Mr. K.B. Saxena, IAS (Retd.) to carry out a study in this regard and suggest appropriate recommendations. Accordingly, Mr. Saxena undertook the study and submitted his comprehensive and detailed report. This report is available on the website of Commission i.e. www.nhrc.nic.in. Among the recommendations Mr. Saxena made was one that the Commission organise at least one Open Hearing a year "where the victims of major atrocities can present their experiences and grievances in seeking justice from Government agencies and human rights bodies/non-governmental organizations/social workers and activists may apprise the Commission of difficulties encountered by them in taking up their complaints. In the interaction with the State Government subsequent to the Hearing, the Commission may convey its observations and advice on various actions to be taken for effective enforcement of law, sustaining confidence of victims and, where required, looking into the conduct of officials coming in for adverse reference during the hearing. The follow up action on the hearings may be monitored."

The Commission also took a decision to launch awareness campaigns in four districts which had a high record of atrocities against Scheduled Castes. In this connection, Members and senior officials from the Commission have been visiting Bharatpur in Rajasthan; Faridabad in Haryana and Jaipur and Ajmer in Rajasthan.

Prior to this Open Hearing, the Commission has held its Open Hearings of the complaints of atrocities against Scheduled Castes in the States of Odisha, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

The NHRC has also organised its Camp Sittings in the States of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Bengaluru (for four southern States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu), Odisha, Gujarat, Assam, Meghalaya, Chhattisgarh, Manipur and Madhya Pradesh.

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