Bureaucratic laxity is reported to be delaying the functioning of the K. Hema Commission constituted by the State government for examining the working conditions of women and the problems they face in the Malayalam cinema industry.
The three-member committee also comprises former bureaucrat K.B. Valsala Kumari and actor Sarada.
The committee, reported to be the first of its kind in the country, was constituted in the wake of an interaction the Women in Cinema Collective members had with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in May.
The delegation had highlighted the problems faced by women in the industry and the issues of equal opportunities and equal remuneration.
Apart from intimating the members about the government decision to form the committee in June, the process has not moved any further. The terms of reference (ToR) need to be drawn up. The government will have to allocate funds, provide staff, office and other facilities for the panel to start functioning in full swing. Such processes are learnt to be moving at a snail’s pace.
Official sources told The Hindu that the Law Department had to take the lead in preparing the ToR and other procedures. The Chief Minister’s office is understood to have directed the officials to expedite the process, but it has not yet made much headway. The committee is expected to probe whether there is gender discrimination in the industry and the milieu is conducive for women to function without hassles. Pay structure and parity, extended work schedules, complaints about exploitation and the facilities provided for women in the industry are also expected to be taken up by the committee.
The hurdles
To cover such an extensive industry where women are engaged in a number of segments other than acting, the panel will have to conduct extensive tours, hold sittings within and outside the State where the industry has roots, and interact with stakeholders – from producers to those doing odd jobs in production units. Working out such aspects is being cited as one of the main reasons for the delay in issuing the ToR. The Chief Minister’s Office was closely pursuing the issue and the committee would be given directives to start functioning soon, sources said.
