While expressing concern over the people of the State facing human rights violation, the existence of the practice of bonded labour and police dithering over lodging FIRs regarding complaints of atrocities, the National Human Rights Commission has urged the Uttarakhand Government to adopt a pro-active approach vis-a-vis such violations while hearing out the grievances of the complainants, particularly those who belong to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe, on Friday. While hearing the case of the death of a person Kanwar Singh who had died after he had fallen in an open drain on the Delhi- Dehradun Highway near ISBT in the heart of Dehradun, the commission recommended the state government to pay a compensation of Rs three lakhs to the next of kin of the deceased immediately.
As regards some other cases, the commission has asked the officials concerned to provide it with further reports. The members of NHRC sounded concerned over police dithering on lodging FIRs regarding human rights violation cases. While hearing the cases of bonded labour still existing in some parts of the state, the commission expressed displeasures over poor response from the authorities concerned while stressing on the district magistrates and the labour department officials being sensitized over the provisions of the bonded labour system (abolition) act.
In four cases, the commission has sought replies from the complainants on the reports presented by authorities concerned before pronouncing its decisions.
The two –day open hearing and camp sitting of the NHRC on the issues concerning the people of Uttarakhand concluded in Dehradun on Friday after the members of the commission discussed such issues with the senior state government officials. They hoped that the state government would proactively engage itself in promptly complying with the commission’s recommendations.
While the problems related to the existence of bonded labour figured prominently in course of the discussion, the NHRC members asked the senior officers to deal with the matter with a humane approach. The problems being faced by the Scheduled Caste and the Scheduled Tribe people remained the focal point of the meeting attended by the chief secretary, additional chief secretary, DGP and secretaries of various departments of the State Government among others.
NHRC member Justice PC Ghose said that the commission in accordance with its mandate has been working ceaselessly to protect and promote the rights of the common people. “Hence the decision to initiate an open public hearing to hear out the cases of atrocities against persons, belonging to the depressed classes of the society. They give voice to the marginalized sections/communities and give them relief on the spot,” he said. Speaking on the occasion, the additional chief secretary Dr Ranbir Singh assured the commission that the government is committed to promoting and protecting the human rights of the people.
It is learnt that NHRC members Justice PC Ghose, Justice D Murugeshan and Jyotika Kalra have heard 27 matters in course of the open hearing on the problems the SC people are facing. The commission disposed of 15 cases while giving immediate directions to the authorities concerned to take necessary steps to redress the grievances of the complainants.