West Bengal govt launches 'Rattirer Shaathi' to safeguard night shift women

Kolkata: Following the rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the West Bengal government has introduced a new initiative named "Rattirer Shaathi," aimed at enhancing safety for women working night shifts.

Alapan Bandyopadhyay, Chief Advisor to the Chief Minister of West Bengal, announced the flagship program during a press conference on Saturday.

"After the RG Kar incident New app for women security. THE WEST BENGAL GOVERNMENT FLAGSHIP PROGRAMME FOR SAFETY FOR WOMEN WHO WORK ON THE NIGHT SHIFT, Alapan Bandyopadhyay, IAS (Retd.), Chief Advisor to the Chief Minister, West Bengal shared this in a Press conference on Saturday,' as per a press release.

The initiative, named "Rattirer Shaathi" or "Helpers of the Night," will involve the development of a special mobile app equipped with alarm devices. This app will be mandatory for all working women and will be connected to local police stations and the police control room.

"He said about the initiative "Rattirer Shaathi" HELPERS OF THE NIGHT that a special mobile phone app with alarm devices will be developed which shall be compulsorily downloaded by all working women and which will be connected to the local police stations/police control room. Helpline No. 100/112 should be extensively utilised during any panic/emergency situation. Rattirer Shaathi or woman volunteers shall be on duty at night," as per the release.

Under the initiative, there should be separate designated restrooms with toilets for women.

"Safe Zones will be identified and created for women with full coverage by CCTV and its monitoring. Security checks and breathalyzer tests will be carried out at medical colleges and hospitals, super speciality hospitals, district hospitals. He mentioned that All organisations will be requested to set up a Visakha Committee on sexual harassment of women in workplaces, if not done," as per the release.

Also a programme of sensitisation of all government establishments on issues relating to women's safety and urge private organisations to do the same.

"The programme will be undertaken across districts. Organisations will be encouraged to devise schedules so that women work in pairs or teams and know each other's movements during night hours," the release stated.
Government appeal to the private Institutions shall also be encouraged to set up Rattirer Shaathi protocol.

In addition, the following steps may also be taken up: Night police patrolling will be carried out in all medical colleges and hospitals, women hostels and such other places, adequate drinking water facility will be on all floors in the hospitals etc, identity cards should be hung and displayed by all the faculty, staff, security guard etc. in the medical colleges and hospitals, security officer will be posted by police in all medical colleges & hospitals and district hospitals for overall security supervision, working hours of women including woman doctors should not exceed 12 hours at a time, wherever possible, night duty may be avoided for women to the extent possible and security guards in the government medical colleges and hospitals. district medical colleges and hospitals and hospitals should be a mix of male and female security guards.

On August 9, a postgraduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, triggering nationwide protests by doctors and medical professionals.