Women safety is one of the major concern for everyone in the national Capital but the concerned departments, responsible for providing safety to women and children in Delhi, are not in sync.
It was amply manifested in a recent study that found that out of 48 actionable points, only 14 were implemented for the safety and security of women and children.
Having taken a dim view of this lackadaisical approach of the concerned agencies, the Delhi Home Department has created a platform under which the Secretary of Home department takes stock of action taken reports on daily basis.
The concerned department such as the Delhi Police, Transport, Public Works Department (PWD) and Urban Development department and department of Higher Education and
department of Training and Technical Education have not submitted a single action taken report to the Home Department.
The Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) Anil Baijal constituted a committee comprising of Senior Delhi Police officers and members of the Government, psychologists, university teachers and representatives from important non-governmental organisations (NGO) which released a report on the women’s safety in June.
The study group identified four areas — universities and educational institutions, public spaces and transport, women and girls from low-income groups in Delhi as the central concern after which action points has been taken to provide women safety and security and the concerned departments has been given the tasks to provide solutions to the taken action points.
“The report was released three months ago and the concerned departments have been given tasks and responsibilities but the Government has not received any action taken reports as yet. Having taken note of this, the Home Department has decided to develop a platform under which secretary, Home will regularly call and will take updates about the meetings held and actions taken for the points identified by the study report. “Strict action is necessary from each and every for the welfare of women and child,” said a Senior Ranking Official close to the project.
As per the action report, a copy of which is with The Pioneer, various actionable points has been identified such as strengthening mechanisms to address sexual harassment on Campus, campus safety team to interact with students and faculty and regular safety audits, modern technology and fast moving vehicles enhance the presence and access of police force, increase of patrolling by woman personnel outside school and college.
Clear identifiable police booths in crowded place, ensure good lighting and no dark spots, good pavements, safe public toilets, mechanism to response immediately on sexual harassment in buses to police, CCTV cameras in bus stops as well in the buses, programmes should be introduce so that women can request the bus at a spot near their destinations are the few points among the identified 48 points.
But the report shows that apart from the Directorate of education, Law department and DUSIB, none has submitted the action take reports to the superior authority.
Currently as per the data of the Delhi Police, a total of 1554 rape cases, 2369 cases of molestation have been registered this year from January to till September. Further, the 2593 cases of kidnapping of women and 214 cases of abduction of women has been registered upto September 15.