Date:05/04/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/04/05/stories/2006040521990300.htm

Kerala - Kochi

City police to stress on family counselling

Staff Reporter

Women's Cell made active

KOCHI: The move to shift the Women's Cell of the City police to its original premises, near the office of the City Police Commissioner, is seen as part of a drive to intensify community policing.

"With the highlighting of the Women's Cell, we are trying to work towards empowerment of women as their role in finding a solution to familial issues is immense," said City Police Commissioner P. Vijayan.

The Cell was functioning from this office before it was shifted to the Ernakulam Town Central police station building and then to Police Quarters. The Cell has one circle inspector, two sub-inspector, one head constable and 10 women constables attached to it.

The role of the cell is to facilitate negotiations and find amicable settlements in cases filed on family feuds. "There are days when we get as many as 10 cases. We try to find solutions to these complaints without resorting to punitive action," said C.J. Marykutty, Circle Inspector, Women's Cell.

All police stations in the city limits have been asked to direct cases with conciliatory or corrective contents to the Women's Cell. Most of the cases thus directed to the Cell are complaints on domestic violence and harassment in public places.

"Unlike counselling done by the NGOs, those done by Cell has the advantage of ensuring presence of petitioners and counter-petitioners since it is attached directly to the City Police. This will help in speedy dispensation of issues," said Mr. Vijayan.

At present the Cell has no power to initiate punitive action, if counselling attempts fail. But they can refer those cases to the Commissioner, from where it could be directed to police stations concerned.

After making the Cell more accessible for the public, by shifting to a prime location, the City police is now working towards establishing a dedicated phone line as `Women and Children Helpline.'

"Discussions are on with one of the private telecom company and the helpline should be in place very soon," said Mr. Vijayan. It is expected that the force will be able to announce the line immediately after the general elections.

Meanwhile, members of the Cell have been participating in neighbourhood meetings of various Kudumbasree units in the city and conducting adalats for settling issues related to women and children. This has spread the word among the public about the Cell, as personnel at the Cell testifies that of late people have started coming directly to them. "Many of the complainants often return to us to thank for settling their issues peacefully," said Ms. Marykutty.