Womens Commission to launch SMS facility

Alappuzha: The Kerala Women’s Commission (KWC) is all set to launch messaging service for people to register cases through SMS and to send alerts about the commission and the cases handled by it.Through this system, women can file complaints, know its current status, officials’ names, addresses, the contact numbers of offices and the various hostels of the commission.For filing a complaint, an SMS can be sent to 537252 in the following format:VanithaComp.For instance, to file a harassment case, the user can key in: vanitha comp harassment by husband, and send the SMS to the above number.The sender will then get a feedback SMS, saying: “Complaint registered. You will get a call from the Kerala Women’s Commission.”KWC chairperson Justice Sreedevi told Express that the SMS system was expected to speed up the procedures of the commission.At present, the people were collecting information regarding cases and about the Commission only during office hours, she said, and added that with the introduction of the SMS facility, information would be available round the clock.She said that currently the KWC was facing acute shortage of funds.  Last year, a project, ‘Sthreedhana Vimukta Keralam; Arbhada Rahita Vivaham’ (Kerala: Free of dowry and ostentatious marriages), could not be executed effectively as the state government had sanctioned funds for the project only in December, she said.So, the commission could not fully utilise the project funds and surrendered the money to the government in March, Sreedevi added.She said the KWC had started a special initiative for the youth who faced strong opposition from their family members and others in marrying the ones they loved. “Women who face such problems can approach the commission without any hesitation,” she said.