Assembly panel asks govt to come up with rehabilitation package for school dropouts

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 6, 2020

SHILLONG: The Assembly’s Committee on Women Empowerment has asked the state government to come up with a package to rehabilitate school dropouts.

The recommendation was made after the committee has taken serious cognizance on the gang-rape of a 16-year-old girl in West Jaintia Hills District on January 1.

The committee has summoned the West Jaintia Hills SP during its sitting held here on Thursday to review the case.

Earlier, the committee was also briefed about the status of the alleged kidnapped and gang raped of a 14-year-old girl in Shillong, which police have revealed that it was only a made up story.

After the meeting, chairperson of the committee Ampareen Lyngdoh told reporters that seven people including two juveniles have been arrested for their involvement in the gang rape case in West Jaintia Hills.

“However, the filing of charge sheet against them is pending…but we have impress upon the WJH police to ensure that such cases are fast track in a fast track court,” she said while adding that the committee will again review the two cases after three months.

She also lauded the West Jaintia Hills police for taking swift action against the perpetrators.

“We are happy and satisfied with the report that was presented to us….this is a good thing they did as it sends a clear message to the public that no crime will be entertained by the police,” she added.

Asked, the chairperson said in both the cases, the victims are school dropouts.

“There must be a package from the state government especially for school dropouts as whenever there are incidents of this kind, it is usually those that dropout that becomes victims of such situation. Government of Meghalaya must take up these indicators from what is happening around in the community and the society, we must make sure that there are packages in place especially for girl child who have dropout from institutions,” she said.

“I do not think there are correct datas being collected and I don’t know whether these datas if collected have manifested themselves for a futuristic plan for the government of Meghalaya. I think this needs to be discussed we will take it up because two –three rape have occurred,” she said.

Lyngdoh also informed that the Medical Superintendent of Ganesh Das hospital has revealed before the committee that there were 100 cases reported out of which 96 cases have happened on minors. These are alarming data. “We will take up this information in our future meetings forward,” she said.

The East Shillong legislator said like they did in Jaintia Hills, police in all other districts should have a coordinated team that is put in place to attend to these kinds of occurrences in the community.

“…of course the committee did meet with the DGP in the past to know whether the police are creating any sensitization of rape and sensitizing young people to make sure that there is no necessity for such incident to happen,” she said.

Meanwhile, Committee member HM Shangpliang said that the social welfare department also need to pull up its socks to sensitize the people about various schemes to provide rehabilitation to such victims.