Tribes panel wants community members to get involved in probe
THE DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL AND TRAINING HAS BEEN ASKED TO CONSTITUTE A COMMITTEE WITH A MINIMUM OF TWO ST MEMBERS TO INVESTIGATE THE CHARGES AGAINST THEM
Before handing out penalty for any wrongdoing to employees from the Scheduled Tribe communities, the department of personnel and training (DoPT) has been asked to constitute a committee with a minimum of two ST members to investigate the charges against them.
Issuing the order on Tuesday, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) at its meeting here said the move is to ensure that natural justice is not denied to any ST employee.
According to the recommendation of the commission, all cases of investigation against ST employees will have to be mandatorily assessed by the commission, before DoPT gives its ruling.
The NCST has also specified that if officers from the ST communities are not available in the department concerned or ministry, then officers can be drafted from other departments to be included in the committee.
The commission has also asked DoPT to issue instructions to all departments and ministries to follow the recommendations.
The move comes after the ministry of social justice and empowerment, the nodal department for the NCST, amended the Prevention of Atrocities Act to bring more offences in the ambit of the Act and ensure speedier recourse.
The amended act also mandated the setting up of exclusive special courts to try the offences under this act.
The NCST also took suo motto cognisance of a report about the admission of malnourished ST children of Poriahur village of Kanker District of Chhattisgarh in hospital.
“The commission has sought a detailed report from the state government. Expressing concern over the incidents of malnutrition among ST children, the commission has recommended a detailed study of the issue,” said an official.
The commission has asked the rural development ministry to provide tribal areas with road connectivity on a priority basis so that necessary medicines and food products could be supplied in time to tribal dominated areas, official said.