Bilaspur district collector Thakur Ram Singh on Wednesday directed the concerned officials to expedite the cases pertaining to scheduled caste and scheduled tribe and pays the victims the compensation which has been delayed, in fifteen days.
Singh issued the direction in the meeting of the district level vigilance and monitoring committee which has been set up under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act', 1995.
The administration has yet to pay a total compensation of 2,70,000 rupees in about 12 cases. Although the compensation amounts have been approved, the payments have been delayed. The collector told the officials that they should inform the concerned victims and ask them to present their grievances at the Jandarsan programme.
He also asked them to handover the compensation amount during the programme. According to the facts presented at the meeting, at least 41 cases of atrocities against scheduled caste and scheduled tribe were registered in the district last year out of which charge sheets were filed in only 28 cases.
There was a delay in the filing of charge sheet in at least 18 such cases. last year the administration paid a total compensation amount of Rs 12.22 lakh rupees to about 53 victims under the act.
Concerned officials placed the latest status of the cases of atrocities in the meeting. According to the figures, so far 82 cases of atrocities have been placed before the court out of which 33 cases have been disposed off.
The Government also provides legal and financial assistance to the victims of atrocities and the witnesses when they come to depose before a court. This includes payment towards the travel and food.