Vishakha committees set up to inquire into allegations of sexual harassment are still to take off in the city. Acute manpower shortage at the labour department has crippled the labour commissionerate so much so that it is unable to ensure implementation of the Vishakha committees.
Officials of the labour commissionerate in Pune said no follow-up is done on the working of the committees due to the manpower shortage. Set up to inquire into allegations of sexual harassment, the mandate of the Vishakha committee is also to promote a harassment free workplace. The formation of such a body is mandatory following the Supreme Court judgment by the same name of 1997. To be headed by a woman, such committee has to have over 50 per cent women as members.
However, the sheer volume of work, for 30 shop inspectors make it difficult to keep a tab on the committees. ?Shop inspectors also have to implement welfare schemes for domestic workers, unorganised sector and check child labour,? senior shop inspector L D Pawar said.
The last recruitment at the labour office was done in 1952 and currently more than 30 per cent posts are vacant. The onus of inspection and formation of such committees has been given to the office of additional labour commissioner. It is the job of the shop inspectors to conduct the inspection of establishments which have been issued Shop Act licenses and get such committees formed. As per figures available with the office there are more than 2.5 lakh such institutions in Pune. ?During inspection, the shop inspectors issue notices to the establishments with more than three women employees. Once the committee is formed, shop inspectors take the contacts of the members to keep in touch,? he said.
Another serious issue plaguing the proper working of Vishakha committee is the mindset of many of the employees. ?The apathy to form such committees stem from the fact, that in many cases, the employer looks at it as another form of red tapism. Women employees are restive in forming the committee as they feel no good would come out of it,? said a lady shop inspector.
Shiv Sena MLC Neelam Gorhe said the irony lies in the fact that the principal secretary of Women and Child Welfare is a man. ?The same secretary is in charge of women?s commission and so his workload is anything but light. Although both the CM and women and child development minister are serious in their intent, schemes are not implemented on ground,? Gorhe said.
