Panel to look into sexual harassment cases only on paper in PU,colleges

The committee,which was constituted in 2005 and carried on its functions till 2010,disappeared from the official communications of Panjab University in 2010-11.

Ever since its inception,the dean of Students Welfare (Women) had been holding the position of committee chairperson. However,the present DSW (W),Professor Kalpana Mahajan,has no information about any such charge. When contacted,she had no clue if any such committee even existed ever.

Mahajan said: “For the last one year,I have neither received any instruction about the formation of the committee nor any official orders of my appointment as chairperson. Except the two recent cases alleging harassment at the departments of Dental Institute and UBS,not a single harassment case has come up in PU during the last two years. For these cases as well,the vice-chancellor had constituted special committees.”

The authorities are now in the process of constituting internal complaints committee for sexual harassment with new guidelines,she added.

The PU handbook of information reads: “Sexual harassment is a serious criminal offence. Follow the code of conduct and discipline for avoidance of this evil on the university campus. There is an internal complaints committee for sexual harassment constituted by the vice-chancellor and headed by the DSW (W).”

However,the scenario is completely different at ground zero. No efforts are being made on part of the PU authorities to make people aware of the committee.

There is no such place or office,where a student,who is suffering from any such harassment can lodge a complaint.

Vice-president of Family Planning Association of India,Surjeet Kaur Sandhu — one of the members of the committee when it was constituted in 2009 — said: “During my tenure as a member for several consecutive terms,I cannot recall a single meeting being held by the committee.”