Date:21/12/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/12/21/stories/2005122125450300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

`Companies should ensure safety of women staff'

Staff Reporter

Police can only help improve security, says Police Commissioner

NEXT COURSE OF ACTION: Call centre employees and their representatives at an interaction with the Police Commissioner Ajai Kumar Singh in Bangalore on Tuesday. — Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

BANGALORE: The Police Commissioner Ajai Kumar Singh has drawn attention to Section 25 of the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act which made managements responsible for the safety of women on night shifts in information technology (IT) and IT-enabled services

Speaking at a meeting with security and transportation officers of major business process outsourcing (BPO)/call centres here on Tuesday, he said this includes safe transportation to and from places of work.

"There is no scope for debate on this issue... the companies are responsible and the police can only help in reviewing and improving security arrangements put in place by the managements," Dr. Singh said.

The officials of companies, including Siemens Software, Mico Bosch, Convergence Technologies, Wipro, Hewlett-Packard, ICICI One Source and Oracle, participated in the meeting.Nirmala Venkatesh of the National Commission for Women was present.

A transport officer from a health sector BPO said drivers have to be treated on par with other employees and given respect and this was practised in his company for seven years.

The BPO also trains the drivers of vehicles hired by it in the psychological aspects of their responsibility through a Chennai-based consultant, he said. "This has changed their behaviour and attitude towards their work. We also prepare the following month's transport schedule by the last week of the previous month and this is emailed to all employees, and the drivers are informed about it. Rarely this schedule is changed. Any change is informed to the employees,'' he said.

Nagesh from Synopsys says that the process of verifying the antecedents of drivers should be made simple and uniform at all police stations.

Kevin from Satyam said the fee of Rs. 3,000 each for "police verification" was too high and could be brought down.

Others suggested that women employees should not be forced to work beyond midnight.

Venkatesh from Siemens said BPOs who collect data about transport companies and their drivers should share the details with the police; his company had a database with photos and fingerprints of all drivers. Police could also prescribe norms for service providers, including travel companies.

Other participants suggested the use of wireless linked geographical positioning systems and concealed cameras in hired vehicles.