TIRUNELVELI: Retired justice PR Shivakumar, chairperson of Tamil Nadu State Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, chaired a consultation meeting with officials of various department in the presence of collector KP Karthikeyan and SP N Silambarasan on Friday. Shivakumar discussed the activities of the commission, its jurisdiction and implementation of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Relief for caste atrocity victims and delay in giving community certificates were also discussed. Officials were instructed to prepare reports sought by the commission without any delay, take necessary action on caste atrocities reported in newspapers, and help courts in speedy trial of atrocity cases. The chairperson also spoke with the chief educational officers, revenue and police officials of southern districts.
“Apart from the national commission, state-level commissions are functioning in 11 states including Tamil Nadu. When SC and ST people are troubled with any issue, the commission conducts an inquiry and gets a solution. It also monitors whether the benefits offered by the state government are reaching the people.
The commission, which was once receiving hundreds of petitions, now receives thousands of petitions. Hence, the activities of the commission are increasing,” said Shivakumar. He disbursed `31 lakh to 14 caste atrocity victims. Commission’s member secretary Kanthasamy, vice chairman M Punitha Pandian and Tirunelveli corporation commissioner V Sivakrishnamurthy were present on the occasion.