Ensure safety of staff, police chief tells BPOs

Ensure safety of staff, police chief tells BPOs
Deccan Herald

Security checks * Get information about drivers * Utilise GPS tech to track cabs * Display sticker on cabs with company/service provider details * Make sure driver is not drunk n Women should not be picked up first or dropped last n Deploy guards in cabs at night n Do not change drivers often n Police to bolster night security

Voluntary action by companies and legislation by the government are necessary to ensure security of women employed in the ITES sector, a fact that was endorsed unanimously by the City police and BPO representatives who met here on Tuesday.

The City police had convened the meeting following the rape and murder of HP employee Prathibha Srikanthmurthy on December 13. The meeting, which was attended by representatives from over 100 ITES companies, unanimously resolved to step up precautionary measures to prevent such incidents from happening again.

City Police Commissioner Ajai Kumar Singh urged the ITES sector to use GPS technology to track the vehicles deployed for dropping employees. “Though it is costly, it is necessary. GE company in Hyderabad makes use of this technology,” he added.

Other measures

While hiring, the company should collect information about drivers, take their fingerprints and provide it to the police. The police should then verify the antecedents of the drivers and inform the companies. Complaints of even minor misbehaviour must be taken seriously and reported to the police.

A sticker must be displayed on the vehicle with the details of the company and the service provider. The service provider should ensure that there is no weapon with the driver. The transporation desk should work out a schedule for pick-up and drop. It should ensure that drivers are not drunk and they keep in touch with them till the last drop is made.

Women should not be picked up first or dropped last. Drivers should not be given the phone numbers of the employees. Security guards should be deployed in cabs at night.

Cabs should not have tinted glass. In case of any change in schedule, the desk should inform the employees and not the drivers. Drivers should not be made to work over-time as it can affect his normal behaviour and should not be changed frequently.

Referring to the measures that the police would take, Mr Singh said, “We will submit the suggestions to the government and ask them to issue a notification.”

“We will intensify patrolling at night and we will approach the government for more Hoysala vehicles. We will also put Nakabandi more frequently and take up a campaign against drunken driving rigorously.”

But he also had a last word: “Please don’t wait for the government to frame rules. Self-regulation is the best exercise.

Hence, put in best practices to ensure security of women from today.” Kiran Karnik, NASSCOM President, who was in Bangalore on Tuesday, told reporters that it is really sad that people are exploiting this incident to push their own agenda. “That women should not work at night is utterly ridiculous. Some said BPOs should create unions, all this is meaningless.”

Karnik said: “Bangalore should be made a safer place. We cannot do without the help of the judicial system and the police. They have to put basic deterrents in place, which are currently non-existent. For instance, all the drivers need to have their fingerprints on record, in addition to verifying their antecedents.”

While companies are looking at long-term security measures like installing cameras and GPSs in the vehicles ferrying employees, Karnik said they would consider hiring women drivers, like in Delhi. He said best practices of BPOs in Mumbai and Delhi will be shared with BPOs in Bangalore. “Employees cannot be safe if the city is not safe,” he added.

The Labour Department is going to undertake a special drive in all BPOs and IT-enabled companies to check if the companies are complying to the requirements of the law. The security aspect of BPOs and IT companies that have women working in night shifts will be emphasised upon, Labour Minister Tanveer Sait informed Deccan Herald on Tuesday.

The conditions of work at these companies will be inspected, added Mr Sait. These include safety measures, transport system and canteen services. The drive will also check if all women employees working on night shift are registered with the Labour Department.