Punjab Human Rights Commission ramps

Open hearing by Punjab & Chandigarh Human Rights Commission member; key meeting with officials, NGOsAmbulance for critical patients calling 112 to get police pilotHuman rights core groups to be formed in every district, Punjab to become first state in countryHuman rights violation complaints now on WhatsApp too; Commission issues number 9855475547
*Hospitals can’t withhold bodies over unpaid bills: Human Rights Commission directivePrivate hospitals directed to mandatorily provide mortuaries, ambulancesInstructions to provide safety gear, insurance to sanitation workers
Hoshiarpur/Daljeet Ajnoha/Mar.8
Punjab State and Union Territory Chandigarh Human Rights Commission member Padma Shri Jatinder Singh Shanti stated that ensuring timely hospital transport for critical patients is a vital part of safeguarding human rights. In this direction, the Commission has issued a key advisory: ambulances responding to 112 calls for serious patients will now receive police pilots. This will ease traffic for ambulances and help reach hospitals faster.Padma Shri Shanti was addressing officials and representatives of social organisations during an open hearing camp on human rights awareness and grievance redressal at the Hoshiarpur District Administrative Complex on Sunday. He said the Punjab State Human Rights Commission’s aim is not just to resolve complaints but to create widespread awareness about human rights among people. On arrival at the complex, he was given a guard of honour by a Punjab Police contingent.Addressing the meeting, Jatinder Singh Shanti announced that the Commission has launched WhatsApp number 9855475547 for complaints related to human rights violations. Anyone whose rights are infringed can send a written complaint to this number, with the Commission ensuring action within two days.The meeting at the District Administrative Complex was attended by Mayor Surinder Kumar, Senior Deputy Mayor Praveen Saini, Deputy Mayor Ranjeeta Chaudhary, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Nidhi Kumud Bambah, Municipal Corporation Commissioner Jyoti Bala Mattu, AIG-cum-Superintendent Central Jail Satnam Singh, SP Navneet Kaur, SDM Hoshiarpur Amandeep Kaur Ghumman, SDM Dasuya Kanwaljeet Singh, SDM Mukerian Jyotsna, SDM Garhshankar Parmpreet Singh, SDM Tanda Lovpreet Singh, Assistant Commissioner Gurpreet Kaur, Civil Surgeon Dr. Mandeep Kamal, besides police officers, officials from various departments and representatives of social service organisations (NGOs). During the meeting, victims’ complaints were heard and necessary instructions given to officials for their resolution.Padma Shri Jatinder Singh Shanti revealed that the Commission is working to establish core groups in all districts of the state, including representatives from social service organisations. Plans are also underway to set up a Commission branch in every district for swift justice to victims. He stated that Punjab will become the country’s first human rights commission to form such core groups in all districts.He directed officials to strictly implement various instructions related to human rights protection. Per the Commission’s guidelines, no government or private hospital can now withhold a patient’s body or a deceased person’s remains due to unpaid bills. Additionally, all private hospitals have been mandated to provide mortuary facilities and ambulance services.He added that orders have been issued to provide assistance for the last rites or burial of unclaimed or economically weaker persons. Instructions have also been given to supply mortuary boxes in rural areas for safe storage of bodies, and to equip sanitation workers with safety gear like shoes, gloves, sanitisers, and insurance facilities.Padma Shri Shanti noted that in historical tragedies like the Bhopal gas disaster and the 1984 Sikh massacre, the absence of human rights commissions denied timely justice to victims. He affirmed that circumstances have changed today, and the Commission is committed to ensuring no victim is denied justice.He informed that Hoshiarpur is the 20th district he has visited under the human rights awareness campaign, having already conducted similar programmes in 19 districts. He directed the district administration to conduct mock drills for disaster management every three months to train people in handling emergencies.On the occasion, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Nidhi Kumud Bambah, Municipal Corporation Commissioner Jyoti Bala Mattu and SP Navneet Kaur assured full compliance with the Human Rights Commission’s directives. Commission member secretary Baldev Singh, along with representatives of numerous social organisations, village sarpanches and citizens, were present.