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Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
HHRC disposes of over 3K cases in 6 months after reconstitution
The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has disposed of 3,086 cases in six months since its reconstitution on November 27, 2024. The commission, headed by chairman justice Lalit Batra with members Kuldip Jain and Deep Bhaita (are they expert members or also judges, has focused on speeding up case resolution and strengthening human rights mechanisms in the state. According to Dr. Puneet Arora, protocol and information officer of HHRC, the commission prioritised timely disposal of both new and pending cases. At the time of reconstitution, 3,171 cases were pending. Between November 27 and May 31, HHRC received 1,438 new complaints, taking the total caseload to 4,609. Of these, 3,086 cases were disposed of, including 56 that had been pending for over two years. According to HHRC officials, the cases resolved span a wide spectrum, but the majority pertain to complaints against police functioning. These are followed by grievances involving municipal bodies, the power department, and the Haryana Building and Other Construction Workers' Welfare Board. Other commonly addressed issues relate to the departments of health and education. In the current financial year (2024–25), HHRC received 2,442 complaints. Gurugram had the highest number (320), followed by Faridabad (258), with significant numbers from Hisar, Karnal and Panchkula. Out of these, 836 cases were disposed of, while 1,606 are still under review. Dr. Arora said the data reflects increasing public trust in the Commission's functioning. To be sure, the Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) was reconstituted on November 27, 2024—14 months after it was rendered non-functional. The delay followed the completion of the previous commission's term in September 2023. The reappointment process was held up twice due to the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct—first during the General Elections and later ahead of the State Assembly polls. The selection panel could reconvene only after the elections concluded, paving the way for the commission's reconstitution. Justice Batra recently presented a paper on 'Rights of Women Prisoners' at a national human rights conference in Gaya, Bihar, organized by Bihar Institute of Public Administration & Rural Development (BIPARD). He outlined steps being taken in Haryana to improve prison conditions, such as separate housing for women, crèche facilities, free sanitary products, vocational training, video conferencing with families, legal aid, and support for pregnant and lactating inmates. The Commission has also been inspecting old age homes and orphanages. During a visit to Tau Devi Lal Old Age Home in Gurugram, Justice Batra directed that eligible women residents be linked with government welfare schemes like Ayushman Bharat, Old Age Pension, and Disability Pension. At Swami Shraddhanand Orphanage in Karnal, he interacted with children and praised the institution's Vedic curriculum, calling for similar models elsewhere in the state. To make grievance redressal more accessible, HHRC has started accepting complaints via email (hhrc-hry@ and is conducting bi-monthly Camp Courts in Gurugram for six southern districts, eliminating the need for complainants to travel to Chandigarh or Gurugram.
Time of India
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Remove high-tension wires over schools: Haryana Human Rights Commission
Gurgaon: Declaring the presence of high-tension electricity wires over school premises as a grave violation of human rights, the Haryana Human Rights Commission said such conditions endanger the life, health, and safe learning environment of children, violating their fundamental rights. The commission asked the additional chief secretary (power), managing directors of DHBVN, UHBVN, and HVPNL, the director of secondary education, and the director general of elementary education to submit a detailed report within two months regarding the actions taken so far and the timeline for the removal of such high-tension lines. The report is to be submitted during the next hearing on Aug 6 via video conferencing. The full bench of the commission, comprising chairperson justice Lalit Batra and members Kuldip Jain and Deep Bhatia, noted that a decision was taken as far back as 2013 under the chairmanship of the then chief minister that all high-tension power lines passing over govt schools, polytechnics, civil hospitals, and veterinary hospitals must be removed by June 15, 2013, and the expenses for these were to be borne by the power department. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Mai puține griji la pensionare Pensia Facultativă NN Vezi oferta Undo However, even after more than a decade, the issue remains unresolved. The commission, in its order issued last week, said thousands of students in govt schools across the state are forced to put their lives at risk due to the presence of high-tension wires in close proximity to their classrooms and playgrounds, which constitutes a serious violation of their fundamental human rights. "These children, unaware of the life-threatening danger looming above them as they study or play, are being subjected to conditions that compromise their right to life, safety, health, and education in a secure environment," said the commission. "Almost more than 12 years have passed, the matter of shifting high-tension wires passing above various schools is rolling from one place to another, and now, the DHBVNL, UHBVNL, and HVPNL are shirking from their responsibility of shifting the high-tension wires passing above various schools in the state of Haryana," the commission observed. The commission stated that action must be taken strictly by the decision dated March 18, 2013, and any contradictory decisions made in 2022 cannot override the earlier mandate. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Hindustan Times
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Remove high-tension power lines running over school premises: Haryana human rights panel
The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has issued directions to the state government to remove high tension electricity lines running over educational institutions across the state. The HHRC in a May 29 order said that the presence of high-tension (HT) electricity wires over school premises was a grave violation of human rights. The commission said that such conditions endangered the life, health, and safe learning environment of children, thus violating their fundamental rights. The commission comprising chairperson Justice (retd) Lalit Batra and members Kuldip Jain and Deep Bhatia noted that a decision was taken as far back as 2013 under the chairmanship of the then chief minister that all high-tension power lines passing over government schools, polytechnics, civil hospitals and veterinary hospitals must be removed by June 15, 2013. The expenses for this exercise were to be borne by the power department. 'However, even after more than a decade, the issue remains unresolved,'' the commission noted. The HHRC ordered that power department additional chief secretary, managing directors of the two power distribution companies – the Uttar Haryana and Dakshin Bijli Vitran Nigams and that of the transmission company- the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam, directors of secondary and elementary education to submit a detailed report within two months detailing actions taken so far and the timeline for removal of such high-tension electricity lines. As per the orders of the commission, the report is to be submitted on the next hearing on August 6 via video conferencing. The commission observed that it is extremely unfortunate that thousands of school children continue to risk their lives daily due to the presence of overhead high-tension electricity wires. This situation not only violated Article 21 of the Constitution but also contravened the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The HHRC said in their order that action must be taken strictly in accordance with the decision of March 18, 2013, and any contradictory decisions made in 2022 cannot override the earlier mandate.
Hindustan Times
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Haryana human rights panel seeks report on polluting factory
Haryana Human Rights commission(HHRC) has sought report from Rewari deputy commissioner, municipal commissioner, municipal council and regional officer of the Haryana state pollution board, Rewari, on a complaint filed by residents of Bheem Basti seeking intervention against the continued operation of a private industrial unit, which is functioning illegally within a densely populated residential area. The right panel has sought a report before August 19. The complainants alleged that the factory named Sai Ram pipe Udyog, is operating in violation of environmental laws, emitting hazardous noise and air pollution, causing severe vibrations from heavy machinery and operating during night hours, thereby endangering the health and safety of residents and violating their fundamental and human rights. Right panel chairperson Lalit Batra observed that the conduct of the factory and the inaction of statutory bodies such as the Haryana State Pollution Control Board amount to a blatant violation of multiple provisions of environmental and municipal laws, including but not limited to Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981; Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; Factories Act, 1948, and Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000. 'These Noise Rules set maximum noise limits of 55 dB during the day and 45 dB at night for residential zones. The district authorities displayed apathy towards the residents' repeated pleas,' Batra said in the order.
Hindustan Times
04-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Segregate administrative functions from clinical roles: Haryana Human Rights Commission
The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has sought a report from the state government with regards to burdening specialist doctors with administrative duties. The HHRC in a May 27 order has asked the state government to separate administrative responsibilities from clinical roles for specialist doctors and bring policy reforms for entrusting administrative duties to trained administrators. The Commission comprising chairperson justice (retd) Lalit Batra and members Kuldip Jain and Deep Bhatia said the increasing burden of administrative duties on specialist doctors is a violation of their fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. 'Overburdening medical specialists with bureaucratic tasks hampered their professional efficiency, impacted patient care, and violated their service rights. Ensuring that specialists focus solely on clinical duties is essential to upholding both public health standards and human rights,'' the HHRC said. The Commission in its order said that the World Health Organization and other international bodies have emphasized the importance of recognizing the rights of healthcare professionals, including the right to work in a supportive environment that allowed them to concentrate on patient care. 'The International Labour Organization also recognized the right of healthcare workers to conditions of employment that do not undermine their professional capacities. 'Internationally, there is a growing recognition that healthcare professionals have the right to work in environments where their skills are used to their fullest potential. This included not being burdened by non-medical tasks such as administration which can undermine the quality of care provided and the well-being of the doctor,'' the Commission said. The Commission observed that it is imperative to recognize the distinct roles of medical professionals in clinical versus administrative domains. Specialists must be allowed to concentrate on their core clinical responsibilities such as patient care, treatment and research where their expertise is vital. 'Administrative duties should be assigned to officers trained for those specific tasks. The role of the medical superintendent or other administrative positions should be distinct from clinical duties, which should remain the domain of doctors and specialists,'' the Commission said. The HHRC said it strongly supported structural reforms in the public health system that clearly delineated clinical duties from administrative responsibilities. Ensuring that healthcare professionals are not diverted from their primary role of patient care by bureaucratic tasks is essential for delivering high-quality, efficient medical services. This separation not only optimizes the use of medical expertise but also upholds the human right to health-specifically, the right to timely, specialized, and appropriate treatment. It is therefore recommended that the state government should implement explicit policy measures to institutionalize the separation of clinical and administrative functions within the health sector. Such reforms are vital for strengthening healthcare governance, improving service delivery, and ensuring that medical professionals can focus on their core clinical functions, the Commission said. In its recommendations, the HHRC stressed the urgent need to separate administrative responsibilities from clinical roles for specialist doctors. 'Healthcare professionals are entitled to dignified, efficient, and conducive working conditions free from unrelated administrative overload. The state government should frame explicit policy guidelines to entrust administrative duties to designated officers such as medical superintendents or trained administrators,'' the Commission said. The HHRC said that these recommendations were aligned with the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) and guidelines of the National Medical Commission which prioritized efficient and patient-centric healthcare delivery. The Commission has asked the additional chief secretary, Health and director general, health services, to submit detailed reports within eight weeks.
