NHRC's meeting with four Southern States at Bengaluru
A two-day meeting of the National Human Rights Commission with the Southern states of Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu was held in Bengaluru on the 15th -16th September 2010. The proceedings started with the Full Commission meeting, presided over by the Member, Mr. Justice B.C. Patel. Mr. Satyabrata Pal and Mr. P.C. Sharma were the other members of the Full Commission. Thereafter, the cases were taken up by the two Division Benches and the three Single Member Benches.
During the day long sitting of the Commission, total 92 cases from four states were taken up. The Commission recommended monetary relief to the tune of rupees nineteen lakhs eighty thousand (Rupees 19,80,000) in nine cases and disposed of 22 cases.
The Commission discussed the issues regarding police action/inaction, non forwarding of the reports on the status of mental health programme, old age population, health care, custodial death cases and encounter death cases, compliance cases, bonded labour cases, child labour cases during the interaction with the senior officers of the four States.
The Chief Secretary and the DGP, Andhra Pradesh, the Addl. Chief Secretary and the DG &IGP, Karnataka, the Addl. DGP and the Secretary (Public) Tamil Nadu, and the DGP and the Addl. Chief Secretary, Kerala as well as DMs and SSPs of the concerned districts of these States attended the proceedings.
During the interaction with the local NGOs, the Commission urged for more cooperation from them to draw attention to the human rights violation.
Following were the key observations of the Commission after the two day long meeting:
" State authorities must send timely reports to the Commission for quick disposal of human rights related complaints;
" State authorities must adhere to the guidelines issued by the Commission from time to time on different issues of human rights, including deaths in encounter and in custody;
" State authorities should focus on prevention of death in police custody;
" Medical checkup of all the inmates at the time of entering the jail be made compulsory;
" Immediate departmental action should be taken against the officers found guilty of human rights violations;
" Quarterly, video conferencing between the NHRC and the State Governments be organized for quick disposal of the cases;
" Reports on bonded labour should be sent to the Commission on regular basis for quick action in the cases;
" Report on old age population in the States and the amount given per person under Old Age Pension Scheme along with details of the action taken for health related problems of older persons be sent up;
" Reports on overall conditions in mental hospitals and the status of implementation of District Mental Health Programme be ensured.
The States were also reminded to provide information to the Commission on the questionnaire, circulated by it, in order to
know the progress made in
the implementation of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children Amendment) Act,
2006.
During the day long sitting of the Commission, total 92 cases from four states were taken up. The Commission recommended monetary relief to the tune of rupees nineteen lakhs eighty thousand (Rupees 19,80,000) in nine cases and disposed of 22 cases.
The Commission discussed the issues regarding police action/inaction, non forwarding of the reports on the status of mental health programme, old age population, health care, custodial death cases and encounter death cases, compliance cases, bonded labour cases, child labour cases during the interaction with the senior officers of the four States.
The Chief Secretary and the DGP, Andhra Pradesh, the Addl. Chief Secretary and the DG &IGP, Karnataka, the Addl. DGP and the Secretary (Public) Tamil Nadu, and the DGP and the Addl. Chief Secretary, Kerala as well as DMs and SSPs of the concerned districts of these States attended the proceedings.
During the interaction with the local NGOs, the Commission urged for more cooperation from them to draw attention to the human rights violation.
Following were the key observations of the Commission after the two day long meeting:
" State authorities must send timely reports to the Commission for quick disposal of human rights related complaints;
" State authorities must adhere to the guidelines issued by the Commission from time to time on different issues of human rights, including deaths in encounter and in custody;
" State authorities should focus on prevention of death in police custody;
" Medical checkup of all the inmates at the time of entering the jail be made compulsory;
" Immediate departmental action should be taken against the officers found guilty of human rights violations;
" Quarterly, video conferencing between the NHRC and the State Governments be organized for quick disposal of the cases;
" Reports on bonded labour should be sent to the Commission on regular basis for quick action in the cases;
" Report on old age population in the States and the amount given per person under Old Age Pension Scheme along with details of the action taken for health related problems of older persons be sent up;
" Reports on overall conditions in mental hospitals and the status of implementation of District Mental Health Programme be ensured.
The States were also reminded to provide information to the Commission on the questionnaire, circulated by it, in order to
know the progress made in
the implementation of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children Amendment) Act,
2006.