Amid the furore across the country over the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor in RG Kar MCH in Kolkata, the West Bengal government on Saturday introduced a flagship program ‘Rattirer Shaathi- Helpers of Night’ for women medical professionals. The initiative aims to provide safe working conditions for women on night shifts in government hospitals, medical colleges and hostels.
The safety measures taken under the ‘Rattirer Shashi- Helpers of Night’ include-
- Designated restrooms with toilets for women.
- ‘Rattirer Shaathi’ or women volunteers will be on duty at night.
- Identification of safe zones with full CCTV coverage and constant monitoring.
- A special mobile phone app with alarm devices will be developed which shall be compulsorily downloaded by all working women and will be connected to the local police stations/police control room.
- Security checks and breathalyzer tests will be carried out at medical colleges and hospitals, super-speciality hospitals, and district hospitals.
- All organisations will be requested to set up a ‘Visakha Committee’ on sexual harassment of women in workplaces, if not done.
- Organisations will be encouraged to devise schedules so that women work in pairs or teams and know each other’s movements during night hours.
- Both – men and women – security guards will be deployed at the hospitals.
- Identity cards will be made mandatory at all times for staff at hospitals and medical colleges.
- Night duty shall be avoided for women medical professionals and work shifts will be restricted to 12 hours at a time.
- Private Institutions shall also be encouraged to set up the ‘Rattirer Shaathi’ protocol.
Earlier in the day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a meeting with the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, DG, CP Kolkata, and other senior officers following which, the program was launched.
Experts are calling this initiative a “damage control” effort by the Bengal government following the backlash on the RG Kar incident. The ruling TMC government in the state faced a lot of flak over the incident and the vandalisation of the hospital.
‘Too Late…’: BJP Leader Reacts
BJP leader Agnimitra Paul told News18 that it was “too late” to come up with a safety program and demanded Mamata Banerjee’s resignation.
“It is too late for Madam to think of all this, she has to handle her police first. She should resign only things will fall in place. The initiative is good, now whether it is properly implemented or not is to be seen,” the Asansol South MLA said.
Bengal government’s ‘Rattirer Shaathi’ program comes the same day as the Union Health Ministry announced that a committee will be set up to propose measures to ensure the safety of healthcare professionals.
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