Thursday, January 24, 2013

Haryana to provide relief to women acid victims

by Haryananewswire
CHANDIGARH, JAN 24
The  Haryana Government has notified a scheme namely -"Relief and Rehabilitation of Women Acid Victims" to provide ad hoc relief, medical reimbursement and rehabilitation services to women acid victims in the State.
Stating this here today, Principal Secretary, Women and Child Development Department  Mrs. Dheera Khandelwal said that only the victims facing acid attack after May 2, 2011 would be eligible under the scheme and it would cover all acid attack victim girls or women residing in Haryana. She said that an application might be filed either by the victim or by her  heir claiming on her behalf in cases where the victim herself was disabled to make an application.
Mrs. Khandelwal said that a State Level Committee has been constituted under the chairpersonship of Women and Child Development Minister for considering the claims and awarding compensation or relief or rehabilitation of women acid victims. The other members of the Committee included Principal Secretary Women and Child Development Department, Principal Secretary, Health, Principal Secretary, Social Justice and Empowerment Department and Principal Secretary, Welfare of  Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes Department.  Director, Women and Child Development Department would be the Member Secretary .
She said that the Committee would coordinate and monitor the functions of District Level Committee. It would ensure proper disbursement of the funds allocated under the scheme and any additional amount  to be supplemented by the State Government to the District Committees. Apart from this the Committee would also issue directions to the appropriate authorities under the Act for ensuring proper medical, psychological and legal assistance to the victim. All the medical reimbursement would be approved by the Committee before providing the financial relief.
She said that   at district level, Committee for "Relief and Rehabilitation of Women Acid Attack Victims" has been constituted under the Chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner.   The Committee would have exclusive jurisdiction to deal with the applications received under the scheme in the district. The Committee would have two or more members having expertise in matters relating to criminal law, working in the field of empowerment of women and medical doctor. She said that out of these, atleast two members would be women.
Mrs. Khandelwal said that the District Level Committee would consider the claims and award compensation or relief or rehabilitation as the case might be in accordance with procedure prescribed under the scheme. The Committee would coordinate and monitor the provisions provided under the scheme with government and non government organizations, for rendering assistance to the victim in form of any legal, medical, psychological, and any other form of aid or assistance. She said that the District Magistrate would consider the claims as deemed fit in the circumstances of the case and would give adhoc relief to the victim and would forward the financial claims regarding medical reimbursement to Director, Women and Child Development Department, Haryana.
She said that the victim's parents or guardians or legal heir might apply to the committee for compensation in accordance with the provisions of the scheme within 15 days. In case of girl, the application might be made on her behalf by a parent or guardian. In case of married women the application might be made on her behalf by husband or parent or guardian. She said that an applicant would have to submit the documents with the application which included a medical certificate where the application was being made by or on behalf of the victim and copy of FIR or complaint.
Mrs. Khandelwal said that on receiving the application and after having been prima facie satisfied that a case of acid has been made out, the Committee would order an adhoc relief of Rs. 25,000 at the earliest which would be recouped from Women and Child Development Department. The Committee might get a home study of the victim conducted for making an assessment of additional needs of the victims and apply other welfare scheme or relief as might be available to the applicant. She said that in case of serious victims, the Committee after getting the examination done of the injury from duly qualified and reputed Government Medical Practitioner would forward the application to Women and Child Development Department along with the medical bills received from the victim or legal heir or parent in prescribed performa applicable to Haryana Government employees or pensioners to be verified by medical  attendant duly counter signed by concerned Civil Surgeon.
She said that the Committee would forward the application to the Director, Women and Child Development for medical reimbursement within 15 days from the date on which the complainant gives her evidence or within one month from the date of receipt of application whichever is earlier. The application has to be made before the Committee within 15 days from the date of incident provided that upon showing valid reasons the Committee would have the powers to condone the delay, if any. She said that the Committee might reject any application where it is of the considered opinion that the applicant failed to take without delay all reasonable steps to inform the police or other   person considered by the Committee to be appropriate for the purpose of the circumstances giving rise to the attack; the  applicant failed to cooperate with the police or other authority in attempting to bring the convict to justice or the applicant has failed to give all reasonable assistance to the Committee or other body or person in connection with the application.
Mrs. Khandelwal said that the Committee would hear the claims for compensation at such time and in such places as the Committee might determine and would notify the applicant of the time and place of hearing of the relevant application. The Committee would reach its decision on the basis of evidence and other information available to it at the hearing. She said that the payment of the medical reimbursement would be made through bank draft to the victim or legal heir through the concerned Programme Officer of the Women and Child Development Department.
She said that the severe acid victim would be treated in disabled persons category as per certified by the Medical Board of the concerned district. If any victim needs rehabilitation services, could seek the support from Swadhar Shelter Homes running in the State. At present these Shelter Homes were running in Gurgaon and Bhiwani. These homes might vary from to time, she added.
Mrs. Khandelwal said that an amount of Rs. 25,000  would be provided by the concerned Deputy Commissioner or Sub Divisional Magistrate as adhoc relief to the victim at the earliest after lodging the FIR which would be reimbursed from Women and Child Development  Department. She said that where death of the victim occurs, the Board would on the facts and circumstances of the case, pay a lump sum of Rs. five lakh to the legal heir,  the children of the deceased if she has any, so as to protect the interests of the child. This would be in addition to any expenses incurred towards the treatment of the victim.
She said that hundred per cent medical reimbursement of all treatment including plastic surgery, if any, was allowed to a victim of acid attack from amongst the hospitals approved by the Haryana Government under the category of "All diseases" and "Artificial Appliances".         
The amendments and the deletion or addition of hospitals made by the Government from time to time would also be automatically be applicable under the scheme, she added. 
No. IPRDH/2013
Vinay
 

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