Government has constituted 4 members committee to probe into sexual harassment of women at workplace in Health and Medical Education Department in the Kashmir Valley.
Pertinently, the incumbent Director Health Services Kashmir was being criticized on social media while serious allegations were being leveled against him. In a tweet, a social media user, without mentioning the name of Director Health Services claimed that: “A new ‘ME TOO’ movement (is) on cards in Kashmir Health Dept. Not a surprise we are performing so abysmally on Covid front as the Boss is committed to add colours to his harem & punish the ones who resist his improper motives.”
Well placed sources told News Agency Kashmir News Trust that a number of female employees have filed written complaints about the sexual harassment they face in the Health and Medical Education Department. Sources added that these female employees have named some top officials and demanded action against them.
Sources said that Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat took these complaints seriously and had written to Health and Medical Education Department to probe the allegations. Accordingly, Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education Department Atul Duloo issued a government order vide number 818 JK(HME) of 2020 dated 23/10/20 seeking constitution of complaint committee under Sexual Harassment of Women at Wokplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
The order reads that in pursuance of Section 4(1) of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Wokplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, sanction is accorded to the constitution of the ‘Complaint Committee’, comprising four members to register and enquire into and dispose of the complaints, if any, of sexual harassment against women employees of the Health and Medical Education Department and its Subordinate Offices.
An official told KNT that the Committee shall submit to the Government of Health and Medical Education Department its report on each complaint received by it regarding sexual harassment against women employees of Health and Medical Education Department including its subordinate offices for consideration of the government and quarterly and annual reports about the total number of complaints received enquired by and action taken on the same.
According to the sources the ‘Complaint Committee’ will be headed by Satvir Kour Sudan-Director General P&S, Health and Medical Education Department and its members are Dr Samia Rashid, Principal Government Medical College Srinagar, Dr Reenu Sharma, Director Health Services, Jammu and any member co-opted by the Chairperson of the Complaint Committee, Satvir Kour Sudan. (KNT)