NCW calls on for setting committees to monitor PNDT Act

Bhopal, July 30 (UNI) Expressing concern over declining sex ratio in various states, National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Girija Vyas called on Chief Ministers to form state-level committees to monitor the implementation of the Pre-Natal Diagnostics Techniques (PNDT) Act.

''A similar committee has been constituted at the central level,'' Dr Vyas told reporters yesterday, after public hearing of problems of SC and ST women.

She said the decline in sex-ratio in Madhya Pradesh is not as great as witnessed in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, etc but indications were not good.

Elaborating upon steps taken to prevent atrocities on women, she pointed out that condition of women had improved but a lot more needed to be done.

She demanded more rights for the NCW saying the organisation needed more teeth. ''Atrocities on women could be stopped by sensitising administration, spreading awareness among women, active role by women organisations and media cooperation,'' Dr Vyas said.

She said hearing in women-related cases could be speeded by developing necessary infrastructure of national and state-level women commissions.

Regarding her meeting with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Dr Vyas said she provided suggestions to make proposed women policy practical and effective and hoped that the new policy would help in reducing rapes, sexual exploitation at workplaces and other offences against women.

She said the NCW had suggested the state governments to arrange for a separate women desk in police stations on the lines of police stations in New Delhi besides carrying out self-defence training programmes for women under police supervision to check sexual exploitation at workplace.

Expressing hope that the bill related to atrocities against women would be presented during the monsoon session, she said the NCW had recommended to make the law more stringent.

She said almost 18 Bills prepared by the NCW had been made into law.

Commenting upon increasing obscenity on TV programmes, Dr Vyas said it would be better for media to prepare a code of conduct on its level instead of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry preparing a stringent law.

The NCW Chairperson said at the Commission's initiative, the Centre had made provisions in 13 ministries in the budget as per the sex ratio. The state governments should follow the example and make provisions in school education, medical facilities, clean drinking water and other departments on similar lines.

She added that the NCW had written to Chief Ministers to direct all departments to send the information sought by the NCW in time.

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