Page 5 - Nhrc

Delhi-NCR pollution: Farm fires due to failure of 4 state govts, says NHRC

After hearing the responses of the chief secretaries of Delhi and three neighbouring states on the pollution issue, the NHRC on Saturday said farmers are burning stubble "under compulsion" and it is due to the "failure" of the four state governments that stubble burning is happening. Alarmed over the rise in pollution in Delhi-NCR, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had recently asked the chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi to appear before it on November 10 to discuss the matter. The Commission, after considering the responses of the states concerned and the government of Delhi, and the deliberations thereon, is of the opinion that the "farmers are burning stubble under compulsion," the NHRC said in a statement on Saturday. "The state governments have to provide harvest machines to get rid of those stubble, but they have failed to provide an adequate number of requisite machines and other measures; as a result, farmers are forced to burn the ...

NHRC seeks report from Punjab on stubble burning amid severe air pollution

The commission said that incidents of stubble burning should be strictly curtailed. It said that if the situation was not improved, a heavy penalty would be imposed on Punjab

NHRC summons chief secretaries of Delhi, 3 neighbours over air pollution

Alarmed over the rise in pollution in Delhi-NCR, the NHRC has asked the chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi to appear before it on November 10 to discuss the matter, an official statement said on Friday. The National Human Rights Commission said it is "not satisfied" with the actions taken so far to address the issue and that "much more" needs to be done to reduce pollution in Delhi. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi stood at 426 (severe) at 9:30 am on Friday, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. An AQI above 400 is considered 'severe' and can affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing illnesses. The NHRC asked the chief secretaries to inform it within a week about the steps taken by their respective governments to stop stubble burning. "Their reports must also inform about the effect of smog towers and anti-smog guns. It should also have information on how many anti-smog guns are operational and what further st

NHRC issues notice to Raj govt over 'auctioning of girls' to recover debt

The NHRC on Thursday issued a notice to Rajasthan government over reports that girls are being auctioned on stamp paper in half a dozen districts of the state and the refusal thereof is resulting in the "rape of their mothers to settle financial disputes on the diktats of caste panchayats". The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report, it said in a statement. The chief secretary of Rajasthan and the state's director general of police (DGP) have been asked to respond to the commission within four weeks. Citing a media report, the NHRC said that whenever there is a dispute between the two parties particularly involving financial transactions and loans, girls aged between eight years and 18 years are auctioned to recover money. A media report said that after being auctioned, these girls are sent to UP, MP, Mumbai, Delhi and even foreign countries and subjected to physical abuse, torture and sexual assault in slavery. If true, the contents

Fruits of reservation not percolated to bottom of society: NHRC chief

NHRC chairperson Justice (retd) Arun Kumar Mishra on Wednesday said "fruits of reservation have not percolated to the bottom". In his address at the National Human Rights Commission Foundation Day here, Mishra also pressed for urgent jail reforms. "Several measures have been taken for socio-economic and political upliftment of the marginalised sections of the society. More affirmative action is needed. The time has come to clarify that unrepresented classes in services are provided reservation within the reserved category itself to ensure overall development, because fruits of reservation have not percolated to the bottom," he said. Though India has many socio-economic welfare schemes, "reservation is still needed for upliftment," the NHRC chief said. Mishra also flagged many other human rights-related issues and emphasised that gender equality and equality for all was important.

Release of 11 convicts in Bilkis Bano case figures in NHRC discussion

A discussion was held at the National Human Rights Commission here on Monday and the release of the 11 convicts in the 2002 Bilkis Bano case figured in it, sources said. NHRC chairperson Justice (retd.) Arun Kumar Mishra headed the discussion, they said. However, there was no official version from the NHRC on the discussion. The 11 convicts walked out of the Godhra sub-jail on August 15 after the Gujarat government allowed their release under its remission policy. They had completed more than 15 years in jail. A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Mumbai on January 21, 2008, sentenced the 11 to life imprisonment on charges of gangrape and murder of seven members of Bilkis Bano's family. Their conviction was later upheld by the Bombay High Court. Bilkis Bano was 21 years old and five months pregnant when she was gang-raped while fleeing the violence that broke out after the Godhra train burning. Among those killed was her three-year-old daughter.

Encounter or killing? Nearly five-fold rise in pending cases, shows data

India has registered 813 cases of encounter killings in the last six years

SC notice to NHRC on PIL by trafficked man who worked as 'bonded labourer'

The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre, the National Human Rights Commission and seven states and union territories to a PIL seeking enforcement of fundamental rights of people

Woman gets family pension denied to her for over 30 years, says NHRC

The National Human Rights Commission has ensured that a woman got the family pension which had been "denied" to her for over 30 years since her husband died in 1987, officials said.

Bangladesh human rights commission condemns attack on Hindus, demands probe

Condemning the attack on the Hindu community in Bangladesh the country's NHRC has said that communal violence in a "secular country" is not acceptable under any circumstances

Rahul Gandhi ED row: Cong moves NHRC, files complaint against Delhi Police

The complaint stated that the lawyers were not a part of the protest and were performing their professional duty towards the Congress party

NHRC seeks report from West Bengal govt on Birbhum violence case

The NHRC has taken the suo motu cognizance of incidents of violence in West Bengal's Birbhum where 8 persons including women and children were allegedly burnt to death

NHRC expresses concern over living conditions of Mumbai slum dwellers

The Government of Maharashtra responded that several efforts have been made and schemes formulated to provide dwelling units to the slum dwellers

Incorrect to generalise human rights violated due to AFSPA: NHRC chief

NHRC chairperson Justice Arun Mishra said it would be wrong to generalise that human rights get violated due to the imposition of AFSPA

Human rights commission pays tribute to CDS General Bipin Rawat

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday paid homage to Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, who died in a chopper crash a day earlier, and said he shared a "deep concern for human rights". Rawat, India's first Chief of Defence Staff, who had a vast experience across a wide spectrum of conflict and terrain profiles, was among the 13 people killed on Wednesday when the military helicopter they were travelling in crashed in a hilly area in apparently foggy conditions near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu, the Indian Air Force (IAF) and state officials earlier said. On Thursday, the NHRC paid tributes to the 63-year-old, who had served as an Army chief, before assuming the mantle of the new post of CDS. "NHRC, India by observing two minutes silence pays homage to late Gen Bipin Rawat & all those who lost life in the tragic air crash alongwith him: Also pays tribute to the memory of Gen Rawat, who shared a deep concern for human rights & attended various programs of the ...

NHRC notice to Centre, Nagaland over civilian killings in security ops

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday issued notice seeking a detailed report in the killings of civilians in an army operation, within six weeks.

Notice to Centre, Nagaland on civilian killings in 'botched up' ops: NHRC

The NHRC on Monday issued notices to the Centre and the Nagaland govt over reports of killing of civilians during an alleged "botched up operation" by the Army Para Commandos

How prolonged closure of Sterlite plant is impacting copper exports

The prolonged closure of its controversial Thoothukudi plant has had an unintended impact on the country's exports of the industrial metal

NHRC issues notice to Centre, States; seeks reports on farmers stir

The NHRC said that there is an allegation of breach of corona protocols by the agitating farmers at the protest sites

WB govt questions NHRC panel's credibility, SC to hear plea on Sep 20

The West Bengal government on Monday questioned before the Supreme Court the credibility of the NHRC panel, which examined alleged human rights violation in post-poll violence