CURTAIN RAISER: NHRC Open Hearing and Camp Sitting for speedy disposal of Tamil Nadu cases at Chennai from 12-13th September, 2019 (09.09.2019)

New Delhi, 9th September, 2019

The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC will be holding two days 'Open Hearing and Camp Sitting' for speedy disposal of Tamil Nadu cases at Chennai from 12-13th September, 2019. Besides the hearing of the cases, the Commission will sensitize the Government officers about the human rights and also interact, on the related issues of the State, with the representatives of NGOs and Human Rights Defenders/Transgenders.

Mr. Justice H. L. Dattu, Chairperson, NHRC will inaugurate 'Open Hearing and Camp Sitting' at Anna Centenary Library, Gandhi Mandapam Road, Surya Nagar, Kotturpuram at 10.00 AM on the 12th of September, 2019.

After the inauguration, the Commission will take up 179 cases in the 'Open Hearing', which will be heard by the Chairperson, Mr. Justice H.L. Dattu, Members, Mr. Justice P.C. Pant, Mrs. Jyotika Kalra and Dr. Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay.

These cases relate to the grievances and complaints of atrocities against the persons belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes communities due to action, inaction or omission by the public authorities.

Apart from the complaints received in response to the public notices, the Commission has also decided to take up some of the cases in the ‘Open Hearing’, which were already under its consideration. The authorities concerned have been asked to remain present at the hearing of these cases.

On the 13th September, 2019, the second and the concluding day of the programme, 10 important cases will be taken up in the ‘Full Commission Camp Sitting’. These pertain to the plight of thousands of garment factory workers in Tamil Nadu, families living without shelter in Villupuram District, Tamil Nadu, persons suffering from silicosis etc.

Thereafter, the same day, the Commission will hold a meeting with NGOs, HRDs/Transgenders between 11.15 and 12.15 Noon. Later on, the Chairperson and Members will brief the media from 12.30 pm to 1.15 pm about the outcome of the Open Hearing and Camp Sitting as well as discussions with the NGOs and senior officers of the State Government for wider dissemination of information on the human rights issues and action taken by the NHRC for their protection and promotion.

So far, the Commission has held its Camp Sittings and Open Hearings in the States of Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Rajsathan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Chandigarh for the States of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and UTs of Chandigarh and Poducherry.

Besides this, the Commission has also organized one Regional Public Hearing on Right to Health Care in collaboration with the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA) at Mumbai on 6th -7th January, 2016 for States of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Goa and Union Territories of Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli.

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