Set up women panels, depts & pvt firms told

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, August 29

Stern directives have been issued to all government departments, private companies and factories to set up a women committee having seniormost woman officer-employee as its head to hear and resolve cases of sexual harassment and advances or exploitation of women employees.

Sarojini Kainthura, Chairperson of the Uttarakhand Women Commission, stated this here today after hearing and solving grievances of women from across the district during a Women’s Court at Bahadrabad block.

Citing complaints made by women working in five workplaces, including government departments and private companies, Sarojini said stern directives had been issued to District Magistrate, Senior Superintendent of Police, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, department secretaries and company managements to ensure strict compliance of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act and other related legal provisions.

The State Women Commission is holding women’s courts in all districts on a monthly basis, with the commission chairperson, vice-chairperson and other office-bearers presiding over these courts in the presence of the district officials concerned.

It was the duty of employer or other responsible persons at workplace or other institutions to prevent sexual harassment and provide procedures for the resolution by taking instant steps as and when a complaint gets lodged or the matter comes to light, she stated.

On the rise in crime against women, Sarojini remarked that western influence, less stress on moral values and easy access to varied entertainment tools, which may be or not be falling under censorship, were major reasons for rising crime against women.