The Women and Child Development and Labour Departments should take measures to check atrocities against women in coffee estates, Karnataka State Women’s Commission chairperson Nagalakshmi Bai said.

She was speaking at a programme ‘Mahila Ayogada Chitta Zilladalilthadattha’ on Friday.

She said atrocities against women and children working in coffee estates are increasing. Chikkamagaluru is a sensitive district. The Labour Department should work with commitment, she said.

Shortage of staffers

A senior labour officer said the shortage of staffers in the department has been delaying the work. Supporting his view, DC G Satyavathi said that a letter has been written to the chief secretary to post a labour commissioner to the district.

SP K Annamalai said that the number of women’s murder has decreased in the district. In missing cases, 96 women have been traced.

There has been an increase in land disputes in the district. Under Pocso Act, 187 cases were registered since 2012. Among them, the accused have been convicted in 22 cases, he explained. Annamalai said awareness is being created about sexual atrocity among children in coffee estates.

The Women’s Commission had transferred 12 cases to the district police for investigation. Among them, reports on nine cases have been submitted to the commission after enquiry, he added. The district has 210 women police personnel, the SP informed the meeting.

A health officer said that no foeticide cases have been reported in the district.
Zilla Panchayat CEO R Ragapriya said that Sringeri taluk hospital has only one doctor. This is affecting the treatment of patients, she said. 

Women and Child Development Department deputy director K C Basavarajaiah said that the department is facing acute shortage of staff. Those who have been transferred have not been relieved. “With shortage of staffers, I suffer a lot,” he said.