Chandigarh December 8:
The Punjab Government is set to crack the whip against the mushrooming of unscrupulous immigration agents with a view to checking human trafficking from the state.
The Punjab Cabinet has already approved the Punjab Prevention of Human Smuggling Bill, 2010, to check cases of human trafficking which have assumed alarming proportions, Punjab PWD Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa said at the investiture ceremony of World Wide Immigration Consultancy Services here yesterday.
Alluring people for permanent emigration, educational consultancy, work permits, tourist trips, medical treatment, cultural shows, preaching religion, sports events and illegal matrimonial alliances in a wrongful way would constitute an offence. The punishment would be rigorous imprisonment of three to 10 years with a fine, depending on the nature of the offence, the Bill says.
The minister said the need for proper legislation envisaging strict legal action against unauthorised travel agents had been felt due to a variety of reasons. It had been observed that unscrupulous travel agents charged a hefty amount of money and took into possession documents like the passport from gullible people for preparing visas. While visas were not provided, the fly-by-night operators duped visa seekers by fake visas and pocketed huge money.
According to the new Bill, every immigration agent would have to obtain a licence from the competent authority. The agents should have a minimum qualification of matriculation or its equivalent from a recognised university or institution. And the licence of a person convicted by the court will be cancelled, the Bill warns. The Bill, which will go a long way in regulating the hitherto-unregulated immigration business, also makes it mandatory to seek permission from the competent authority before issuing an advertisement or holding a seminar.
The Punjab Government is set to crack the whip against the mushrooming of unscrupulous immigration agents with a view to checking human trafficking from the state.
The Punjab Cabinet has already approved the Punjab Prevention of Human Smuggling Bill, 2010, to check cases of human trafficking which have assumed alarming proportions, Punjab PWD Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa said at the investiture ceremony of World Wide Immigration Consultancy Services here yesterday.
Alluring people for permanent emigration, educational consultancy, work permits, tourist trips, medical treatment, cultural shows, preaching religion, sports events and illegal matrimonial alliances in a wrongful way would constitute an offence. The punishment would be rigorous imprisonment of three to 10 years with a fine, depending on the nature of the offence, the Bill says.
The minister said the need for proper legislation envisaging strict legal action against unauthorised travel agents had been felt due to a variety of reasons. It had been observed that unscrupulous travel agents charged a hefty amount of money and took into possession documents like the passport from gullible people for preparing visas. While visas were not provided, the fly-by-night operators duped visa seekers by fake visas and pocketed huge money.
According to the new Bill, every immigration agent would have to obtain a licence from the competent authority. The agents should have a minimum qualification of matriculation or its equivalent from a recognised university or institution. And the licence of a person convicted by the court will be cancelled, the Bill warns. The Bill, which will go a long way in regulating the hitherto-unregulated immigration business, also makes it mandatory to seek permission from the competent authority before issuing an advertisement or holding a seminar.
