The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : SHRC to have zonal centres

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Tuesday, Dec 11, 2007
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

SHRC to have zonal centres

Special Correspondent

Monitoring cells to ensure that commission reports are implemented

— Photo: S. Gopakumar

On rights: P.D.T. Achari, Secretary-General, Lok Sabha, addressing the Human Rights Day celebrations in the city on Monday.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs M. Vijayakumar announced here on Monday that the State government was planning to set up monitoring cells to ensure that recommendations submitted by the Kerala State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), the Lok Ayukta and various inquiry commissions were implemented.

Delivering the presidential address at the Human Rights Day celebrations organised by the commission, he said the absence of a monitoring mechanism was responsible for the failure to implement the recommendations of various commissions.

“There have been hundreds of inquiry commissions looking into various issues. But even those who demand judicial probes fail to follow up the recommendations. This has made a mockery of the inquiry itself.” Mr. Vijayakumar said the government was working on a proposal to broad-base the functioning of the commission. “There are plans to set up zonal centres for the commission at Kochi and Kozhikode.”

The Minister reminded the police of their role as protectors of human rights. “The media also has a watchdog role to prevent rights violations,” he added.

Speaker K. Radhakrishnan, who inaugurated the celebrations, highlighted the need to take up an awareness programme on human rights at the school level. “It is not the absence of legislation but the lack of will that often results in violation of human rights. Laws to prevent atrocities against vulnerable sections, such as Dalits, tribal people and women, are not invoked in time. There is no pointing in preaching human rights when large sections of the population are discriminated against and deprived of basic amenities like housing and access to safe drinking water.”

Mr. Radhakrishnan stressed the need to streamline the functioning of the commission.

P.D.T. Achari, Secretary-General, Lok Sabha, was the chief guest at the function. Commission’s Chairperson N. Dhinakar; members S. Varghese, V.P. Mohankumar and A. Lekshmikutty; and Chief Investigation Officer K. Padmakumar spoke.

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