Limitations on women's working hours removed

'Rattirer Saathi' guidelines revised in line with apex court directives 

SNS, 27 SEPTEMBER 2024, CALCUTTA : The Bengal government has removed the proposed restrictions on working hours for women, including their not being put on night duty, in the guidelines framed as part of its 'Rattirer Saathi' initiative intended to address the issue of safety of wo men at their work-places. The state chief secretary Manoj Pant on Friday issued an order stating, "After careful consideration of different aspects, clauses 11(v) & 11 (vi) are hereby removed from the existing guidelines of "RATTIRER SAATHI -HELPERS OF THE NIGHT ," issued vide No217-Secy(HFW)/2024 dated 19.08.2024." 

Clauses 11(v) and 11(vi) of the guidelines had stated: 'Working hours of wo men including women doctors should not exceed 12 hours at a time,' and Wherever possible, night duty may be avoided for women to the extent possible.' These provisions had evoked criticism from the Supreme Court, which is a hearing a suo motu case relating to the rape and murder of a post graduate trainee doctor at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, as casting a cloud on the basic constitutional premise of gender equally. The court had stated: "The basic purpose must be to ensure conditions of safety and security for all doctors, men and women: the women doctors do not demand any special concessions, but require the State to create 

conditions in which their safety at all times, during the day and night... On 17 August, the state government had announced the flagship initiative called Rattirer Shaathi (Helpers of the Night) for safety for women who work on the night shift It had come against the back-drop of the horrific rape and murder of the PGT doctor at RG Kar Medical College Hospital on 9 August. On Thursday, the chief minister Mamata Banerjee said at Nabanna: "We are working on the implementation of the Rattirerer Sathi except the ones which the Supreme Court raised objections to." 

The aim of the programme is to ensure safe working conditions for women on the night shift in government hospitals and medical colleges, hostels and other places engaging women during the night. Among others, the guidelines for the Rattirer Saathi initiative specified separate designated rest moms with toilets for women, deployment of Rattirer Shaathi or woman volunteers on duty at night, creation of safe zones for women and development of a special mobile phone app with alarm devices which will be connected to the local police stations/police control mom. The guidelines also prescribed security checks and breathalyzer tests at medical colleges and hospitals, super specialty hospitals, district hospitals and reminded all organisations to set up Visakha Committees on sexual harassment on women in workplaces, if not done.."