Chandigarh, December 9
There has been a spurt in the number of custodial deaths in Punjab with 87 cases being reported to the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) this year till November 30. The disposal rate by the commission seems to be poor with only 32 cases being disposed off.
Addressing a press conference on the eve of the International Human Rights Day here today PSHRC Chairman Justice NC Jain said 68 of the total 92 cases were disposed off by the commission in 2003.
Justice Jain said as against four custodial death cases filed before the commission in 1997,the figure for the total cases till now stood at 479 cases with 375 being disposed off.
In fact the commission is bursting at its seams with over 14,189 cases being filed before it in the first 11 months of the current year.
The commission has disposed off 9,334 general and 32 custodial death cases. As on October 31, the total number of filed cases was 50,122. The total pendency was 8,909 cases, of which 104 cases pertained to death in
custody, the PSHRC Chairman, Justice NC Jain, said here today.
Talking about the sudden spurt in the number of cases, Justice Jain said it was on account of the quick and cheaper way of securing justice which attracted the victims to its jurisdiction.
Regarding the enforcement of the commission orders, Mr VK Sibal, a member, said by their very nature the commissions were not meant to enforce
orders. The state governments are the biggest protector of human rights and human rights commissions and the judiciary could only assist, he added.
Justice Jain said he had conveyed to the Punjab Government to improve the health conditions of the people in planned manner at district levels.
Controlling iron deficiency in expectant mothers, controlling infant mortality , care of mentally-challenged and HIV patients, implementation of mid-day meal scheme in schools, checking trafficking in women and children and domestic violence and rehabilitation of destitute women are some of the suggestions made by the PSHRC to the state government.
The commission has also been making all-out efforts to disseminate human rights literacy throughout various means. It has endeavoured to develop a close rapport with NGOs, media and general public to develop human rights culture.
It may be recalled that recently the President of India had taken cognisance of a complaint of an NGO — Lawyers for Human Rights International (LHRI) — alleging “improper working” of the commission.
A survey of the child labour in Punjab, sponsored by UNICEF, identifying and controlling female infanticide and foeticide and a child protection unit were some of the projects recently completed by the commission, the PSHRC Chairman said.
The Chairman wanted that a senior district police official should be deputed as a nodal officer to scrutinise cases of human rights violations before they were brought to the commission.
