The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : State human rights panel bedevilled by problems

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Saturday, Sep 22, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

State human rights panel bedevilled by problems

Staff Reporter

‘The 1,600 sq ft space given to the commission is inadequate’

The commission was officially launched on July 25
It is also facing funds crunch and staff shortage

BANGALORE: Inadequate space, funds and manpower had prevented the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) to function with full force, commission chairman S.R. Nayak said here on Friday.

The commission was officially launched here on July 25.

While the commission initially functioned from Mr. Nayak’s residence, it was later shifted to Balabrooie Guesthouse and then to Vikasa Soudha before being given some space on the 4th Floor of the M.S. Buildings 5th Phase. However, the 1,600 sq ft space is grossly inadequate for the commission to house three court halls, chambers for the chairman, members, secretary and officials and office space and the panel needed at least 10,000 sq ft space, he said.

Mr. Nayak told presspersons here on Friday that though the Government had asked the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) to accommodate SHRC at “Park House” from where KPSC had been functioning before moving in to “Udyoga Soudha,” KPSC declined to offer the building.

Mr. Nayak said it was for the Government to frame rules and regulations for the functioning of the commission; define the tenure and working conditions of chairman and members and frame rules for the employees.

As nothing had been done, the commission itself took up the responsibility and drafted the required rules and regulations, besides working out the staff strength. All drafts would be sent to the Government for further action.

Posts

Even before the commission came into being, the Government in June 2005 sanctioned 53 posts. Of this, only six persons have reported for duty.

It is the commission’s duty to “police the police” (for rights violation) and hence it required adequate number of police personnel.

Mr. Nayak said the commission required 100 police personnel, including one Inspector-General of Police, two superintendents of police, four deputy superintendents of police, six inspectors, six sub-inspectors and other staff for effective investigation. However, only the IGP (M.N. Reddy) has taken charge, that too recently.

On the administrative and judicial wings, the commission required 62 personnel.

The commission is also faced with funds crunch.

The Rs. 1 crore budgetary allocation made this year could not be spent on several heads due to technical reasons. As such, it had sent a fresh proposal seeking allocation of Rs. 7.5 crore.

Even within the available infrastructure, the commission received 100 complaints since July 25 and had called for reports from the authorities concerned in 40 cases, Mr. Nayak noted.

Cases

Thirty-three cases were received from Bangalore alone. SHRC members, B. Parthasarathy and R.H. Raddi, and secretary, K. Amaranarayana, were present.

To redress their grievances, the public could contact the commission at 4th Floor, 5th Phase, M.S. Buildings, Bangalore-560001. Phone: 22392200; fax 22392207.

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