Valayar Ravi... cracking the whip.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Gender cells will be set up in Indian embassies to deal with complaints of harassment against women and children, Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi has said.

Mr. Ravi, who was here to inaugurate the regional workshop on `problems relating to NRI marriages,' told reporters that rules would be amended to impound the passport of NRIs against whom complaints of harassment were registered.

This is a preliminary step for the extradition of the accused from foreign countries, said Mr. Ravi and National Commission for Women chairperson Girija Vyas, who was also present.

The workshop was organised jointly by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs and the National Commission for Women.

To deal with the issues such as NRI marriages, divorce, annulment and abandonment, an international advocacy campaign was launched in 1990. That campaign led to the formation of an international organisation, the `Hague Conference on International Private Law,' to deal with issues relating to women. India would become a member of the organisation within a month, they said.

The number of cases of abandonment and deprivation were on the rise. Such cases were being reported from various States, including Kerala, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. On getting a marriage proposal from an NRI, the parents of the girl should seek all the details and ensure that the marriage was registered.

More teeth would be given to the Pre-Natal Diagnostics Techniques Act. Amendments to the Act would be moved in the next Parliament session, Mr. Ravi said. Earlier, addressing the workshop, Ms.Vyas said the commission, which was conducting regional workshops, would submit its suggestions to the Centre to frame new laws to prevent harassment of women who were married to NRIs.

Health Minister P. K. Sreemathi said the State Women's Commission would be strengthened. The Government would set up five rehabilitation centres for the abandoned and deprived women and elders.

The workshop will conclude on Friday.

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