Assam CM directs to set up Women Police Battalion to check crime against women and children

The Assam CM directed this while reviewing the human trafficking scenario in Assam in the chief minister’s conference room at Janata Bhawan on Monday.

Sonowal also directed to constitute a high level committee designating Home Department as Nodal Agency to collect all relevant information related to human trafficking and to carryout anti-trafficking drives.

Further, Sonowal also directed to intensify the surveillance and monitoring of human trafficking involving Labour and Social Welfare Department in the state.

The Assam CM also stressed on the need to develop an anti-trafficking mechanism from grass-root level and asked the concerned departments to instruct the village headmen to prepare an extensive database of all human resources available in their respective villages.

Sonowal also asked to ensure adequate monitoring of youth going outside Assam in search of job at village level, block development office level, circle office level and deputy commissioner level so that all information pertaining to allurement etc. could be effectively tracked.

Adding that strict implementation of anti-trafficking laws could substantially reduce such cases, the Assam CM also asked the Additional Chief Secretary (Labour) to prepare a draft act for giving exemplary punishment to those involved in such racket.

While preparing the draft act, Sonowal directed to include scope for mandatory disclosure of information regarding details of house maid, validity of placement agencies etc. so that they can come handy at times.

Expressing grave concern over rising number of human trafficking cases, the Assam CM advocated a strong and effective law enforcement mechanism to control such cases adding that there is a need to amend certain portions of the existing act to make it more effective.

Underling the need for spreading more awareness at grass-root level, Sonowal further directed to organize awareness meetings on the issue of human trafficking amongst village headmen, panchayat officials, public representatives, village defence force etc.

Chief Minister’s Legal Adviser Santanu Bharali, senior officials of Home, Labour and Social Welfare department were also present in the meeting.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)