women

The state tourism body on Thursday shrugged off responsibility for ensuring female tourists’ safety at heritage sites, citing a jurisdictional technicality.At a two-hour meeting with a woman, who was sexually harassed during a heritage tour recently, officials said the Central government and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) handled security at such sites, and not the state.The response shocked the 26-yearold victim, Natasha Zarine, who had demanded a series of steps, including deployment of more guards, to improve security at such spots.“It’s very disappointing. I had thought that tourism officials would reveal some measures to tackle the problem,” she said. “They said they would write to central authorities, but that is not enough.”Zarine, who is from Aurangabad, had visited the Ajanta and Ellora Caves, and Daulatabad Fort on separate days, starting August 3, with her friends. The group was “mocked, constantly photographed, verbally abused and intimidated” by hooligans at the sites. Zarine and two other, who were also sexually harassed, then sent a complaint to the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC).After Mirror reported their ordeal on August 20, MTDC officials decided to call a meeting in Mumbai to hear out their concerns. But instead of assuring them that steps would be taken to ensure female visitors’ safety at tourist locations, the tourism body rued about jurisdictional limitations.Though MTDC officials expressed concerns over the incident, they said that they were helpless. “They said that even though the heritage sites in question are in Maharashtra, the decision on stepping up security there has to be taken by the Central government,” Zarine said.“I came all the way from Aurangabad for the meeting, and this is all they had to say.” Zarine, in her complaint, had urged the MTDC to post more guards at heritage sites, create a helpline for women and assist victims of sexual harassment in filing police complaints.“Most of the demands were turned down. The only thing they promised is that they would write to the police department concerned and the ASI,” she said. Subhash Motwani, a member of the Indian Merchants’ Chamber who helped Zarine approach the MTDC, also expressed shock at the official response.“What is the point of promoting Indian tourism abroad, if there is no security for even Indian citizens? Why will foreign tourists come to India?” he said. MTDC joint managing director Satish Soni said that it would organise programmes to raise awareness about women’s safety.“Our female officers will sensitise staff at heritage sites and also visitors,” he said, adding that the body would also write to the central government and the ASI to seek better security.