State Bureau, Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court has directed the government to deploy additional female security personnel near all Durga Puja pandals. Additionally, the court has instructed the operation of “pink buses” for the convenience of women.
The court also asked for a status report on the decisions made during a Special Task Force meeting. This meeting, chaired by the Chief Secretary, was held on September 28 and included decisions such as ensuring the presence of female staff in vehicles transporting schoolchildren.
The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) could not be submitted to the court by the government. The division bench emphasized that decisions that can be implemented immediately should be put into action promptly. The directives were given during a hearing of a petition concerning the prevention of crimes against women, schoolgirls, and minor girls, presided over by Chief Justice M.S. Ramachandra and Justice Deepak Roshan.
The next hearing is scheduled for November 18. During the hearing, the bench directed the government to run pink buses during the Durga Puja period. It also called for an expansion in the operating hours of these buses in areas where they are already in service. The court further instructed the installation of CCTV cameras in key locations for monitoring. Emergency helpline numbers for women should be promoted via local TV channels and newspapers. The court also ordered the repair of all streetlights.
Advocate Bharti Kaushal had filed the public interest litigation (PIL) in this regard, highlighting that incidents of harassment, rape, and molestation against women have been steadily increasing from January to June, with 185 cases reported during this period. The petition also raised concerns about the lack of proper verification of school van drivers by school management, citing instances where drivers misbehave with young children. The court had previously instructed the deployment of female staff in school vehicles to ensure the safe return of girls to their homes.
