State Women’s Commission raises alarm over absence of prevention of sexual harassment committees

Siliguri: Most of the tea gardens of North Bengal do not have Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) committees. This has sparked concern, with Leena Gangopadhyay, chairperson of the State Women’s Commission, calling for urgent action. Addressing the issue at a press conference held at Siliguri State Guest House on Monday, she highlighted the urgent need for such committees to curb incidents of sexual abuse and exploitation in the region.

As part of a three-day tour of North Bengal, representatives from the Women’s Commission visited tea gardens, hospitals and correctional homes. They also held a meeting with administrative officials, emphasising the necessity of raising awareness in tea garden areas and expediting the formation of POSH committees.

“We were surprised to find that no tea garden in the region has a POSH committee. There is a glaring lack of awareness, which is essential to addressing issues like child sexual abuse under POCSO and the exploitation of women. Without awareness and preventive measures, such incidents are bound to persist,” said Leena Gangopadhyay.

The Women’s Commission chairperson stressed that the District Magistrate of each district would be tasked with ensuring the formation and proper functioning of these committees across

all tea gardens.She also suggested having a councillor in every tea garden for awareness and also asked to include educated local women who can spread awareness among other women in their villages. There are around 400 tea gardens in Terai, Dooars and hill regions, yet none have implemented the Supreme Court-mandated POSH committees.

These committees are meant to not only handle cases of sexual and mental abuse but also actively campaign against such issues, offering support and resources to victims.

In addition, Gangopadhyay expressed frustration over the poor implementation of one-stop centres in hospitals. These centres, designed to provide comprehensive support to victims of sexual abuse — from medical treatment to legal assistance — are either missing or underutilised in many hospitals. Gangopadhyay urged district administrations to prioritise these issues and ensure compliance with the Supreme

Court’s directives.