CHAIN SNATCHERS TO BE BOOKED UNDER P.D. ACT

Home Minister Nayani Narsimha Reddy today assured the Assembly that all required measures were being  taken to check chain-snatching offences, especially in the twin cities, by invoking PD Act against the culprits.

The Home Minister’s assurance came in the wake of grave concern voiced by the members in the House during question hour over the steep rise in chain-snatching offences.

Former minister J. Geetha Reddy of Congress brought to the notice of the State government that of late chain snatching incidents have increased in the twin cities as a result of which women were afraid of walking on the streets. She also regretted that no recovery was being made in the chain snatching cases. Pointing out that woman constituted 50 per cent of the total population, she stressed the need for taking stringent measures to check crime against women.

Geetha Reddy and also TRS member Konda Surekha wanted that more number of SHE teams should be set up throughout the State to check eve-teasing. In order to deliver quick justice in these cases, Surekha wanted special courts to be constituted, exclusively to deal with cases pertaining to crime against women.

The Home Minister, in reply to a short notice question in this regard, said the government has taken a decision to constitute SHE teams in all the cities and major towns. As of now, 204 SHE teams were working of which 100 are functioning in Hyderabad and 60 in Cyberabad. After the constitution of the SHE teams, there has been considerable decrease in the number of eve-teasing and other crime against women cases. Asserting that the TRS government was committed to the safety and protection of women in the State, he said if need be even Nirbhaya Act would be clamped against the accused persons.

Explaining in detail the functioning of the SHE teams, the Home Minister said members of these teams dressed in plain clothes would be keeping a



close vigil at all public places like bus stops, cinema halls, shopping complexes, near girls schools and women’s colleges and so on. The vehicles of the SHE teams were also fitted with CCTV cameras and the personnel manning the teams would also record all incidents as a proof. Counseling of the offenders for the first timers would be given and repeated offences would entail stringent action, he added.

                                                                          FIRE SERVICE STATIONS.

The Home Minister, in reply to another question, assured the members that steps would be taken to set up Fire Stations in all the Assembly constituencies. As of now, 95 fire stations were functioning in the State and 46 new fire stations are under consideration of the government of which four new fire stations have already been sanctioned, he added. He also said 10 fire stations were functioning in the old city and if need be more stations would be established. Sharing concern of members that there were cases wherein the fire tenders were not reaching the spot immediately leading to heavy loss, the minister said to overcome this problem Fire Motor-Cycles fitted with mist bullets were introduced. These motor-cycles would help in reaching the spots immediately in emergencies to control the fire and check its spread till the main fire tenders arrive.

The Home Minister said the government was keen on checking fire mishaps and increased the budget allocations substantially for Fire Service department. While the allocation for the year 2015-16 was Rs 61.81 crore, it was increased to over Rs 112 crore for the year 2016-17.