Women police cells in dists mooted
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 30 2011:
A day-long consultative workshop held here today has recommended among others, setting up of women police cells in all the districts of Manipur for monitoring crimes against women in the State.
Organised under the aegis of Women Action for Development (WAD) with the main objective of ensuring proper implementation of The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, other recommendations adopted in the consultative workshop include immediate functioning of the Protection Officers appointed under the Act, imparting necessary training to the counsellors, ensuring necessary infrastructure and inclusion of separate budget allocation for the purpose.
The recommendations added opening toll free helplines, making the victims of domestic violence aware of the list of Protection Officers, Service Providers, Shelter Homes and medical facilities, increasing the number of Appellant Courts and setting up Family Courts in all the districts of the State, rehabilitation and empowerment of the victims, extending the services of the State Legal Service Authority to the far flung and remote areas of Chandel, Ukhrul and Tamenglong districts.
Inclusion of separate budget allocation in the 12th Five-Year Plan for victims of domestic violence, formation of a Manipur Legislative Assembly Forum to deal with crimes against women, appointment of necessary counsellors and separate Protection Officer for Jiribam Sub-Division, setting up of mobile court to settle cases related to domestic violence in Tamenglong, Chandel and Senapati, etc were the other suggestions mooted.
It has decided that all these recommendations would be submitted and brought to the notice of Governor, Chief Minister, Health Minister, Social Welfare Minister and Law Minister apart from forwarding the same to the President, Prime Minister and Union Home Minister.
The inaugural function of the workshop was attended by Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly I Hemochandra as chief guest, Secretary (Law) Government of Manipur Y Rameshchandra as guest of honour and Prof Ksh Bimola of Political Science, Manipur University as functional president.
Speaking at the occasion, Hemochandra observed that there should be no room for domestic violence in a progressive society.
The perpetrators may be given the due punishment, but the scar left behind in the hearts and minds of the victim would remain lifelong.
Just as a Legislators' Forum to fight against HIV/AIDS has been formed, efforts would be made for setting up of a similar forum to deal with crimes against women, he assured.
Y Rameshchandra pointed out that judiciary is very weak in Manipur.
In accordance to the Act, justice has to be delivered over at least one case of domestic violence within two months.
But the cases are pending in Manipur as there is no judge or court.
If this is the situation, judiciary itself would become the violator of the Act.
The attention of the authorities concerned should be drawn towards these issues.
There is also the need for setting up courts in all the districts of Manipur and providing adequate infrastructures, he added.
In the workshop, many resource persons presented papers on different topics.
In the morning session, Additional SP of Imphal East District Pushpanjali and Protection Officer of Imphal East Achou Singh attended the workshop as resource persons while News editor of ISTV Rupachandra Yumnam moderated the session.
In the afternoon, the session was moderated by Programme Executive of AIR Imphal Bijaya Yumlembam and was attended by JMIC Ukhrul A Naotuneshwori and secretary of UNMM U Nobokishore as resource persons.
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