NHRC concludes its three day Open Hearing and Camp Sitting expecting proactive response to its recommendations by the Kerala Government (10.4.2015)
PRESS RELEASE
Thiruvananthapuram, 10th April, 2015
The three day 'Open Hearing' and 'Camp Sitting of the National Human Rights Commission on the issues concerning the people of Kerala concluded inThiruvananthapuram today after holding a meeting with senior officers and expressing the hope that the State Government would proactively engage itself for timely compliance of its recommendations. Several issues of human rights violation were discussed with the senior officers and they were sensitized that dealing with the problems of the people with a humane approach will only help them in achieving their goal for providing good governance.
The issues of discussions covered reforms in prison and juvenile homes, problems of migrant labourers in Kerala, problems of Scheduled Castes and other depressed sections of society as well as the issues which were brought to the notice of the Commission during its 'Open Hearing' and discussions with NGOs including rising population of stray dogs and cases of dog bites, anomalies in distribution of ration and other supplies in tribal areas, non-allotment and non-possession of land to Scheduled Castes and police inaction over their complaints etc.
The NHRC Chairperson, Mr. Justice K G Balakrishnan, Members, Mr. Justice Cyriac Joseph, Mr. Justice D Murugesan and Mr. S C Sinha heard 85 complaints in the 'Open Hearing' on the problems of people of the Scheduled Caste communities and in most of the cases gave immediate directions calling for action taken reports from the concerned State government authorities.
Most of the complaints related to the non-allotment of land or delay in giving possession of land allotted to the people of Scheduled Caste communities, delay or non-registration of complaints by police and problems in payment of pension. Some complaints related to denial of the Scheduled Caste status to some communities. In most of the complaints, the Commission gave immediate directions calling for reports from the concerned authorities of the State Government.
The Commission has called for report regarding the allegation that the SC&ST Federation used funds meant for the welfare of people from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities to construct a shopping complex in Thiruvananthapuram but it did not allot even a single shop to them.
In the 'Camp Sitting' , the Commission took up 24 cases pending compliance and other reports from the State Government. These included 19 cases on different issues of human rights violations in its 'Full Commission Sitting' and five cases of deaths in police custody in its two Division Benches.
It expressed its dissatisfaction over the tardy progress in the setting up of a Tribunal to settle the claims of the victims of Endosulfan and asked the Government of Kerala to expedite it. It has given eight weeks time to the State Government through its Chief Secretary to respond with a report about the progress on the issue alongwith details of payment of the remaining amount of relief to the victims, which was recommended by it. During the course of the hearing of the matter at the Commission's 'Camp Sitting', the officers of the State Government informed that the proposal to set up a Tribunal was awaiting clearance from the cabinet.
In the matter related to trafficking of children from other states for orphanages in Kerala, the Commission asked the State Government to inform within four weeks about the circular issued by the Social Justice Department regarding the guidelines to the orphanages and whether these were being complied by them. It also sought to know whether all the children in the orphanages were orphans and if not whether they had the consent letters from their parents.
The Commission also expressed its concern over migration of Tribals from the bordering District of Waynad to Karnataka and faced torture and exploitation while trying to earn a living out of engagement in ginger cultivation as the Government of Kerala was unable to provide them menial jobs under various schemes. It asked the State Labour Department to submit report within two weeks on the steps taken by it for providing menial jobs to the people in the district in the light of the Section 20 of the Migrant Labour Act.
In the five cases of deaths in police custody, two were from Thiruvanathapuram and one each from Kollam, Kasargud and Thrissur. Out of this in three cases, the Commission awarded compensation of Rs.2,50,000/-. In one case, not satisfied with the police theories, it issued notice to show cause why monetary relief should not be recommended for the negligence. It closed one case as the government had complied with its recommendations by paying Rs 3 lakh as monetary relief to the next of kin of deceased.
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Thiruvananthapuram, 10th April, 2015
The three day 'Open Hearing' and 'Camp Sitting of the National Human Rights Commission on the issues concerning the people of Kerala concluded inThiruvananthapuram today after holding a meeting with senior officers and expressing the hope that the State Government would proactively engage itself for timely compliance of its recommendations. Several issues of human rights violation were discussed with the senior officers and they were sensitized that dealing with the problems of the people with a humane approach will only help them in achieving their goal for providing good governance.
The issues of discussions covered reforms in prison and juvenile homes, problems of migrant labourers in Kerala, problems of Scheduled Castes and other depressed sections of society as well as the issues which were brought to the notice of the Commission during its 'Open Hearing' and discussions with NGOs including rising population of stray dogs and cases of dog bites, anomalies in distribution of ration and other supplies in tribal areas, non-allotment and non-possession of land to Scheduled Castes and police inaction over their complaints etc.
The NHRC Chairperson, Mr. Justice K G Balakrishnan, Members, Mr. Justice Cyriac Joseph, Mr. Justice D Murugesan and Mr. S C Sinha heard 85 complaints in the 'Open Hearing' on the problems of people of the Scheduled Caste communities and in most of the cases gave immediate directions calling for action taken reports from the concerned State government authorities.
Most of the complaints related to the non-allotment of land or delay in giving possession of land allotted to the people of Scheduled Caste communities, delay or non-registration of complaints by police and problems in payment of pension. Some complaints related to denial of the Scheduled Caste status to some communities. In most of the complaints, the Commission gave immediate directions calling for reports from the concerned authorities of the State Government.
The Commission has called for report regarding the allegation that the SC&ST Federation used funds meant for the welfare of people from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities to construct a shopping complex in Thiruvananthapuram but it did not allot even a single shop to them.
In the 'Camp Sitting' , the Commission took up 24 cases pending compliance and other reports from the State Government. These included 19 cases on different issues of human rights violations in its 'Full Commission Sitting' and five cases of deaths in police custody in its two Division Benches.
It expressed its dissatisfaction over the tardy progress in the setting up of a Tribunal to settle the claims of the victims of Endosulfan and asked the Government of Kerala to expedite it. It has given eight weeks time to the State Government through its Chief Secretary to respond with a report about the progress on the issue alongwith details of payment of the remaining amount of relief to the victims, which was recommended by it. During the course of the hearing of the matter at the Commission's 'Camp Sitting', the officers of the State Government informed that the proposal to set up a Tribunal was awaiting clearance from the cabinet.
In the matter related to trafficking of children from other states for orphanages in Kerala, the Commission asked the State Government to inform within four weeks about the circular issued by the Social Justice Department regarding the guidelines to the orphanages and whether these were being complied by them. It also sought to know whether all the children in the orphanages were orphans and if not whether they had the consent letters from their parents.
The Commission also expressed its concern over migration of Tribals from the bordering District of Waynad to Karnataka and faced torture and exploitation while trying to earn a living out of engagement in ginger cultivation as the Government of Kerala was unable to provide them menial jobs under various schemes. It asked the State Labour Department to submit report within two weeks on the steps taken by it for providing menial jobs to the people in the district in the light of the Section 20 of the Migrant Labour Act.
In the five cases of deaths in police custody, two were from Thiruvanathapuram and one each from Kollam, Kasargud and Thrissur. Out of this in three cases, the Commission awarded compensation of Rs.2,50,000/-. In one case, not satisfied with the police theories, it issued notice to show cause why monetary relief should not be recommended for the negligence. It closed one case as the government had complied with its recommendations by paying Rs 3 lakh as monetary relief to the next of kin of deceased.
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