Saqib Junaid
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, June 9: While the Crime against women in the state continues to show an increase over the past years, the state government has failed to establish various services recommended by the Centre (GOI) to prevent increasing cases of crimes against women in the state.
Official figures reveal that number of crime against women in last 8-years have gone up from 2087 in 2008 to 3535 in 2015. The crime against women has witnessed increase, as in 2008, including rape, gang rape, molestation, dowry, suppression of immoral trafficking etc was 2087, in 2009, 2757 incidents, 2010, 2521, 2011, 3329, 2012, 3543, 2013, 3714, 2014, 3535, 2015, 3535 and in 2016 ,705 incidents were reported so far. The JK state since 2010 has witnessed six acid attacks on women. Similarly, the figures state that number of cases registered against narcotics dealing in 2015 was 588 and subsequently 863 persons were arrested during the period. Despite that government has failed to take measures to prevent such incidents in the state.
The Centre over the years has extended its various schemes to JK in order to prevent the growing cases of crime against women. One such service, 181 emergency helpline was established elsewhere in India to respond to the women harassment cases but the state government is yet to launch it in JK. "We are yet to get the approval from the higher authorities," an official said.
The 181 service was launched by the union government in January 2013 and former Union Telecom Minister, Kapil Sibal at that time appealed all the chief ministers regarding the allocation of the three digit number '181' to their states so that it can be made a national helpline for women.
At many states the 181 service has been merged with state police helpline numbers to respond to the emergency calls through referral.
"The state government has shown poor response to the Centre government's project due to which the helpline couldn't be established in the state. Recently New Delhi merged the 181 service with 100 but so far there was no announcement from our state government regarding it," the official said.
Sources said that the Centre had not followed it after state showed poor response to its recommendations.
As per the National Numbering Plan 2003, the access to 181 has been defined as Unrestricted (these are the services, which shall be accessible from anywhere, national or international).
Similarly the state government has also failed to set up the Investigative Units on Crimes against Women (IUCAW) in Jammu and Kashmir that was proposed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) earlier in 2015.
The MHA in January 2015 had proposed to set up IUCAW in 20 per cent of the districts of each State on a 50:50 cost sharing basis between the Centre and State governments.
The Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh had written to Chief Minister of the States that MHA has proposed to set up 150 IUCAW units initially on pilot basis in most crime prone districts of each state.
The project as per MHA would cost Rs.84 crore rupees annually, out of which 42 crore rupees will be provided by the Centre. It also said that out of total 2250 personnel required for the 150 IUCAWs, 750 will be women.
As per sources, the state government has not yet prepared any Detailed Project Report (DPR) regarding setting up of IUCAW in J&K.
"Every state is supposed to establish IUCAW to check crime against women. But till now there has been no communication from the state government," sources said.
When contacted an official from the Social Welfare department said it has submitted the proposal regarding the setting up of one stop center for women in both the regions of Jammu and Kashmir to check domestic violence cases.
"We had earlier prepared a proposal about establishing a stop-centre for women and the approval has come from the Government of India. It will include 181 helpline services through which legal counselling and police protection will be provided to women. Two units will be established in both the regions of state to ensure fast track redressal of the cases," he said. |
