Annual Report 2012-2013 Benches considered 1324 cases in 102 sittings. Some important cases were also considered in 5 sittings of the Commission in open court hearings. Other programme and administrative agenda items were dealt with in 10 meetings. The Statutory Full Commission, which includes deemed Members also met on 7 December 2012, wherein issues relating to inter-Commission coordination were discussed. NHRC Open Hearings on Atrocities against Scheduled Castes 2.6 Being deeply concerned about the atrocities against persons belonging to Scheduled Castes, the Commission in 2000 requested Shri K. B. Saxena to carry out a study in this regard. Accordingly, a report was submitted by him in which a series of recommendations were made. In accordance with one of its recommendations, the Commission initiated the process of holding open hearings for people belonging to Scheduled Caste, who have suffered discrimination or whose rights have been otherwise violated in contravention to the existing legislations prohibiting such practices. 2.7 During the period under review, the Commission held five such open hearings at Puri (Odisha) in April 2012, Ahemdabad (Gujarat) in May 2012, Chennai (Tamil Nadu) in August 2012, Jaipur (Rajasthan) in September 2012 and Nagpur & Mumbai (Maharashtra) in January 2013. NHRC Camp Sittings in Assam and Meghalaya 2.8 The NHRC in its efforts to reach out to the people living in remote areas has been organizing camp sittings in different parts of the country. The aim of these sittings is to expedite disposal of pending complaints as well as review the progress made by the State functionaries with regard to the recommendations made by the Commission on various human rights issues. Accordingly, a delegation of the Commission headed by its Chairperson visited Guwahati in Assam from 28 to 29 May 2012 and Shillong in Meghalaya on 30 May 2012 for its camp sittings. 2.9 During the camp sitting in Assam, the Commission closed 14 out of 50 cases and recommended monetary relief of ` 3,50,000 to victims whose human rights had been violated. In Meghalaya, the Commission recommended ` 3,00,000 as monetary relief to the next of kin of the deceased in an encounter case, which had resulted in the death of the victim. During the course of camp sittings, the Commission directed the authorities to adhere to the provisions of law and the guidelines issued by it on various human rights issues. In Assam, the State was particularly asked to ensure prison reforms including the need to give vocational training to the prisoners and to ensure their regular health checkups. In Meghalaya, the Commission expressed serious concern over child labour in illegal mines and directed the authorities to stop it in all forms. The Commission also met with the representatives of the NGOs in the two camp sittings. 4 NHRC