GUWAHATI, Aug 28 - The State government has directed all the district administrations across Assam to take steps for proper implementation of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and laid down certain guidelines for that purpose.�
The government has directed that District Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committees (DVMCs) be formed with the concerned District Magistrate as chairman for implementation of provisions of the Act.�
DVMCs will also include local MPs and MLAs, senior police officers, other concerned officials and members of the civil society.� The meeting of the DVMCs will have to be held quarterly and minutes of the meetings will have to be sent to the Director of Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Assam, who will be the nodal officer, and to the Department for Welfare of Plain Tribes and Backward Classes, which will act as the nodal department.�
�The meetings of the DVMCs will be restricted only to the specific purpose under the Act and its rules. They cannot be clubbed with the public grievances or the monthly meetings,� Dr M Angamuthu, Commissioner and Secretary (Department for Welfare of Plain Tribes and Backward Classes), told�The Assam Tribune�today.�
He said that the DVMC meetings will review the implementation of the provisions of the Act, decided upon the relief and rehabilitation facilities provided to the victims, look into prosecution of cases under the Act, review the role of different officers and agencies responsible for implementing the provisions of the Act, and look into various reports received from the concerned district administration.�
�The DVMCs are also tasked to take action to identify the atrocities-prone areas in the particular district and take appropriate measures to prevent such incidents,� said Dr Angamuthu.�
The government has also directed that reports on the number of cases of atrocities on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes that have been registered, investigated, charge-sheeted or are in trial stage, pending and conviction will have to be submitted to the nodal officer.�
�The concerned District Magistrate or Additional District Magistrate has been directed to assess the requirement of compensation for the victims based on the charge-sheeted cases from the Superintendent of Police (CID) and to submit proposal for the same to the nodal officer for making requisite Budget provision,� said Dr Angamuthu.
