NHRC Hears 30 Cases in its Vijayawada Sitting, Orders ₹80 Lakh Payment

Vijayawada: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) organised its sitting in Vijayawada, hearing 30 pending cases and recommending that those affected in these cases be paid a total compensation of ₹80 lakh.

NHRC chairperson Justice Arun Mishra and commission members Dr. Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay, Rajiv Jain and Vijaya Bharathi Sayani heard the cases in the presence of secretary general Bharat Lal, registrar (Law) Surajit Dey, senior officers, officers concerned of the state government, and complainants.

Justice Arun Mishra said they issued appropriate directions like no compulsion for medical students to stay in the hostel and pay unaffordable exorbitant fees, ₹25,000 compensation for a sarpanch illegally detained by police, payment with interest on delayed release of pensionary benefits, immediate medical examination of a disabled person to provide an increase in pension and so on.

Further, the NHRC directed state functionaries to put up before POCSO Court cases of compensation for child victims of sexual offences. It directed authorities to ensure payment under the Victim Compensation Scheme as per the guidelines framed by NALSA.

After hearing the cases, the commission held a meeting with the chief secretary, director general of police and senior officers of the Andhra Pradesh government and sensitised them about human rights.

The chairperson and members of the Andhra Pradesh State Human Rights Commission also participated in the meeting.

NHRC asked officers to submit action taken reports on various advisories issued by the commission on issues such as mental health, bonded labour, right to food and safety, CSAM, truck drivers, ocular trauma, prevention of suicide in judicial and police custody, manual scavenging and so on.

The AP chief secretary assured full compliance with the NHRC’s orders.

Later, the commission members interacted with representatives of civil society, NGOs and human rights defenders. The latter raised a gamut of issues related to human rights violations, like lack of educational opportunities for hearing impaired and mentally challenged persons, abuse of children in children’s homes, trafficking, lack of employment opportunities for transgender persons, and non-repatriation of a Bangladeshi woman.