A Parliamentary committee has rapped the government for its "insensitive" attitude towards trafficking of tribal women and proposed setting up a web portal to tackle this issue with regular inputs from the Centre.
In its report to the Parliament, the Committee on 'Empowerment of Tribal Women', also recommended holding campaigns in "vulnerable" areas with the involvement of school teachers, tribal chieftains, people's representatives and village heads, to sensitise girls and their parents about trafficking.
"The committee strongly condemns the attitude of the Ministry with regard to trafficking of tribal women. It is a pity that the government has no reliable data on the number of tribal women trafficked to big cities," it said.
The need of the hour is cooperation among all agencies, gram panchayats, panchayat samities, police, local administration and society to keep traffickers at bay, it said.
The committee expressed "utter dismay" to see that the government have been "insensitive" to this gigantic problem.
It also recommended regulating the placement agencies which acts as "conduits for trafficking" tribal girls to metropolitan cities.
"It should be made mandatory for placement agencies to get registered with the department concerned and submit details of women getting placed by them as domestic workers to the government. Strict action should be taken against illegal agencies working without registration.
"Since domestic workers form a huge chunk of work force in the metro cities, it is overdue that their work is given dignity and recognition," the Committee said.
The tribal women face atrocities like murder and rape often, the committee said, adding it is perturbed by the inaction of police and administration in such cases and their failure or delay in charge-sheeting the accused.
The committee suggested overhauling of the
administration, particularly the police force in tribal dominated areas to make them responsive, alert and sensitive to the crimes against tribal women.
It also recommended to start a special cell under the SHO in each police station, particularly in tribal dominated areas, to take cognisance and be accountable for any lapses in taking note of such offences.
Also, these cells should periodically send reports to offices of Director General of Police, National Human Rights Commission, Commission in respective states and to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes for their subsequent scrutiny, validation and necessary follow up.
Noting that the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has remained a "mute spectator" to the plight of tribals especially the tribal women, the committee also recommended taking strongest possible steps to put an end to to diversions and lapses of tribal sub-plan funds in all states.
Identify sham projects in the name of tribal welfare to guarantee maximum returns from available funding, it said.
The committee said the malnutrition among tribals is "alarmingly high" despite many schemes and programmes and pointed out serious flaws in the conception and execution of such programmes.
It also advised the government to disseminate information in tribal languages on healthy feeding practices, preferably with indigenous foods that are cheap, nutritious, easily available and culturally and geographically rooted.
