NCW meets AIR DG, Prasar Bharti CEO in sexual harassment at workplace case

The NCW Monday summoned the All India Radio DG and the Prasar Bharti CEO on the complaints of sexual harassment at workplace and sought a response from them on the progress made in probing the matter.

The National Women Commission received complaints by the All India Radio Announcers and Comperes Association in December which alleged that a number of comparers have been subjected to sexual harassment at their workplace.

In a series of tweets on Monday, the NCW gave details of the meeting with Fayyaz Shehryar, the director general of All India Radio, and Shashi S Vempati, the CEO of Prasar Bharti.

"Representatives of AIR stated that Internal Complaint Committees are duly constituted at all levels i.e, centre, state and regional. Apart from that, all preventive measures have been taken by AIR from time to time, like training programmes, installation of CCTVs etc," the NCW tweeted.

At present, there are 17 ongoing cases all over India filed by both regular and casual employees of All India Radio.

When asked, if such complaints are coming out only after a re-screening test was started, the All India Radio Casual Announcer and Comperes Union denied the same but asserted that there were incidents of such complaints as well.

"DG, AIR agreed to the same and replied that due action has been taken in all such cases, like constituting high power Committees, issuing warnings, transferring the accused, levelling pecuniary punishment and penalties," the NCW said in another tweet.

The complainants stated that there are some cases in which re-screening test was passed by the employees concerned but they have not been given further assignments because of complaints filed by them or on their behalf.