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Order Dated 17.07.2007
Coram : Hon'ble Amar Saran, J.
Hon'ble R.N. Misra, J.
In sharp contrast to this apathy of the State and Central Governments on
this point a public spirited lawyer Sri Jagriti Singh has himself come
forward and moved an application that a social organisation GCS (General
Collaboration Services) Varanasi with which he appears to be connected
has already developed a website http://www.missingfound.org which has
been launched in public interest. It provides on line information/data
of missing and untraced persons for free use by the persons connected
with the missing persons and the State authorities. We direct the
State to take a lesson from this public spirited lawyer and his
organization, and even to utilize the services of this organization if
it is found feasible, until the bureaucratic rigmarole of setting up the
State's website is sorted out.
Order Dated 18.09.2007
Coram : Hon'ble Amar Saran, J.
Hon'ble R.N. Misra, J.
One affidavit has also been filed by Sri Jagriti Singh, Advocate in
person who is a public spirited lawyer associated with an organization
which has set up a website for missing children and the said association
has even offered services free of cost to the State. The police
appears to be procrastinating in the matter and seems to be caught up in
endless financial or other negotiations with the U.P. Electronics Corpn.
Ltd. Lucknow and is simply exchanging letters for setting up such a
website, the last being dated 13.9.07 to the M.D. of the Corporation.
We think that Police Headquarters, should actively explore the
possiblities of utilizing the web site set up by this intervenor Jagriti
Singh's organization for posting information about missing children and
submit a report on this aspect on the next date of listing. Another good
suggestion made by the intervenor was that they have developed a
technology for a Public Display or Public Info System for putting up
information about missing children on screens in Railway Stations,
Bus Stations and other public places. Sri
Jagriti Singh should be
approached and the efficacy and feasibility of this system should also
be seriously evaluated by the concerned departments of the State and
Central Governments. The said screens could also display pictures of
wanted criminals or terrorists, or other important social issues and
announcements.
Order Dated 16.11.2007
Coram : Hon'ble Amar Saran, J.
Hon'ble R.N. Misra, J.
So far as the direction in our order dated
18.9.2007 for considering the feasibility of utilising the Web Site
developed by the public spirited intervenor Sri Jagriti Singh is
concerned, it was pointed out in this affidavit that the Police
Departments have no control over the Web Site and it could not
authenticate the information therein, hence the police department has
decided to launch its own aforesaid Web Site. We hope that with the
putting of the data on the Web Site, which also bears pictures of
missing children, where ever they are available, it will be useful in
tracing out missing children and also in maintaining records about them
and for coordination and pooling of this information with other agencies
and police in different states, so that the task of tracing out the
missing children can be more effectively accomplished.
So far as the direction in our previous
order dated 18.9.2007 for setting up public display or info systems on
large screens in Railway Stations, Bus Stations and other important
public places where information could be flashed about missing persons
and also about other important subjects such as information on wanted
criminals or terrorists or other important social issues and
announcements, the affidavit filed today furnishes no information,
nor does it contain any feasibility report of developing such a system
or utilizing the system which the intervenor Sri
Jagriti Singh, Advocate's
organisation claims to have developed and which it is willing
to share with the government. We hope that by the next date of
listing the concerned authorities shall submit a report on this aspect.
Order Dated 28.03.2008
Coram : Hon'ble Amar Saran, J.
Hon'ble Shiv Shanker, J.
We are happy to note that a High-Powered Committee was also
constituted consisting of Dy. Director, Traffic, SP, State Crime Record
Bureau, SP, Railway, Lucknow, SP (Crime), DGP (Headquarters) and SP
(Headquarters), Allahabad, which met on 28th and 31st January, 2008,
and has resolved that for a public display of news relating to the
missing children, television sets connected with internet facilities be
installed in each district at railway stations, bus stations and other
important public places to be identified by the district police chief.
On the public display system, photographs of missing children would be
displayed by slide show, which will go on from 5 am to 11 pm daily, with
the help of UP Electronics and for this purpose in UP 300 TV monitors
are required in 70 districts. As we have mentioned in our earlier orders
that other useful information relating to social issues, or about the
identity or photographs of criminals or terrorists etc. could also be
flashed on these public display systems to elicit the support of the
general public in these matters, these systems will give multiple
benefits.
An amount totalling Rs. 16,79,28,000 has been estimated to be required
for this purpose. In case the concerned department in the State
government considers it difficult to release the amount sought, or it is
of the opinion that this estimate is on the higher side, the Committee
could consider ways and means for reducing the amount as far as
possible, perhaps by recommending normal TV monitors instead of Plasma
TV if that is considered feasible by the committee. That however is
entirely a matter for the committee to consider as the Court is not an
expert on these issues. So far as the recurrent expenditure was
concerned, we think that part of it could be borne/recovered by
permitting advertisements on the said public display systems, if they
are considered feasible.
Order Dated 22.05.2008
Coram : Hon'ble Amar Saran, J.
Hon'ble Shiv Shanker, J.
On the previous occasion, as noted in our order dated 28.3.2008, the
State Government had pointed out that steps have been taken for setting
up public display systems, but no further information about the setting
up of public display systems has been mentioned in any of the affidavits
filed on the present date of hearing.
Shri
Jagriti Singh, an
advocate and intervener, has however provided an Annexure to an
application filed by him today, which indicates that the said public
display systems could be prepared at a lower cost, than suggested in the
government's earlier affidavit mentioned in the order dated 28.3.2008.
The State Government may consider whether they could also reduce their
costs of setting up the public display system on lines suggested by
the intervenor Sri
Jagriti Singh or consider
the feasibility of handing over the task for preparation of the public
display systems to the
organization of the
intervener in case there are cost impediments in setting up the
public display system, and submit a progress report in the matter on the
next date of listing.
16. The State Government is directed to submit on the next date of
listing the progress report regarding setting up of public display
systems showing missing children etc. in public places such as railways
and bus stations etc. in each district, steps for setting up which were
pointed out to us on the last date as noted in our order dated 28.3.08,
and the State should could consider the feasibility of reducing costs as
suggested by the intervenor
Jagriti Singh, or
alternatively for handing over the work to his organization, if cost
factors are impeding the setting up of such public display systems.
Order Dated 08.08.2008
Coram : Hon'ble Amar Saran, J.
Hon'ble Shiv Shanker, J.
Progress in setting up public display system
So far as direction No. 16 for submitting
a progress report about setting up public display systems showing
missing children in public places such as railways and bus stations etc.
the Chairman of the Committee, I.G. Technical Services, Lucknow has
approved the proposal and it is decided that at the initial stage
display systems would be installed at Lucknow and Allahabad for trial
purposes and after getting the report of the aforesaid trials, the
display systems would be further extended to 300 places in U.P. The
report of the I.G. Technical Services dated 4.7.2008 has been annexed as
Annexure 6 to this affidavit. In pursuance of the aforesaid
recommendation of the Committee, the Inspector General (Provisioning
and Budget) has forwarded the aforesaid letter of request dated 29.7.08
to the Principal Secretary (Home) for the release of funds as early as
possible. We hope the necessary steps shall be speedily taken by the
Principal Secretary(Home) and soon we shall have such public display
systems which as we have indicated in earlier orders are not only useful
for communicating information about missing children, but also about
other social problems, such as identities of terrorists or for giving
information and issuing warnings to the public about matters of social
concern. We would like a progress report on this issue on the next date
of listing.
Order Dated 07.11.2008
Coram : Hon'ble Amar Saran, J.
Hon'ble Shiv Shanker, J.
So far as the earlier directions of this Court in consonance with the
earlier willingness of the State Government to set up a public
display system, as pointed out in the affidavit on behalf of the
DGP dated 8.8.08 we are pained to note that the
State Government has not provided the funds even to start the public
display system at the railway station and other public places
even for the two districts, i.e. Lucknow and Allahabad. It is mentioned
in paragraph 7 that initially in the meeting dated 29.9.2008, UPDESCO
and UP Electronics Corporation Limited, Lucknow refused to take the work
of installation and maintenance of the public display system and even
the NCRB, New Delhi and NIC run by Union of India have shown similar
unwillingness to do this work.
It is further mentioned that 5000 missing
persons have been mentioned in the aforesaid website and if it takes
about 10 second time to display this information, then the information
would not be available for 12 hours.
We think that these are lame excuses.
Police and the State Government are not coming out with the true
reasons for going back from their commitments to set up public display
systems on a priority basis which could help in tracing missing
children and for communicating other relevant information about
terrorists or other social problems. Information about recently missing
children can always be flashed in the busier hours and in other hours
photographs and information of persons missing from longer periods of
time may be flashed. Computerised websites are still not accessible
by the general public and they can only be an adjunct and not a
substitute for public information about missing children, which may
be flashed on the public display systems in the railway stations, bus
stations etc. or which are displayed in newspapers or television or
other mass media.
Also no affidavit has been filed by the
Principal Secretary (Home) U.P., for giving the response of the State
government to set up and fund setting up of such public display systems.
We would like the police department as
well as the State Government (viz. the Principal Secretary, Home), U.P.)
to come out with the real reasons for abandoning their earlier plans to
set up the public display systems aforesaid on the next date of
listing.
It is also mentioned in paragraph 8 of the
affidavit that no approval by the Ministry of Railway, Union of India
has been issued for setting up of public display systems in the railway
station. On the next date, we would like a response from the Ministry
of Railway through the Assistant Solicitor General of India as to the
reasons for not giving consent for this apparently useful measure,
which has been proposed by the Court and had earlier been supported by
the State Government, which presently appears to be resiling from its
earlier commitment to set up the public display systems.
Order Dated 30.01.2009
Coram : Hon'ble Amar Saran, J.
Hon'ble Shiv Shanker, J.
NOT INSTALLING PUBLIC DISPLAY SYSTEM UNFORTUNATE
In another affidavit filed on behalf of DGP, UP, sworn by the Dy. SP,
Police Headquarters, Allahabad, dated 15.1.2008, we find that some
strange reasons have been given for not setting up the Public Display
System. This affidavit mentions that the NGO, Don Bosco or any other
NGO have not approached the State Government for establishing the Public
Display System and that information of such children can always be
obtained at the government homes where they are staying, or by looking
at the internet wherever it is available. Electronic display systems
are claimed to be too costly and that the State Government will be
forced to post police personnel for their safety and they would be soft
targets for agitating persons. Also UPDESCO, NIC and other public bodies
have shown unwillingness for setting up this Public Display System.
We are saddened by this response of the State Government,
especially as in earlier affidavits of the Chairman of the Committee of
IG (Technical Services), it has been stated that setting up of such
Public Display Systems, at least in Lucknow and Allahabad, for trial
purpose had been approved which were subsequently to be extended to 300
places in UP. The budget had even been forwarded to the Principal
Secretary (Home), U.P. and we had pointed out in our orders dated
22.5.2008 and 8.8.2008 that such Public Display Systems were not only
useful for communicating information and displaying pictures of missing
children but also for giving information of other social problems such
as furnishing information about terrorists or issuing warnings on
matters of public concern. Also internet information is only available
to a select few and is not usually accessed by the common man on the
street who might have spotted a missing child whose photograph is
flashed on the public display system at the railway station enabling him
to render help and information to the authorities. It is unfortunate
that the State Government and the police authorities have now resiled
from their earlier commitment to set up such Public Display Systems and
have abandoned a useful plan and we can only express our regret and
disappointment at this development. |