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Thursday, Jul 12, 2007
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Panel’s directive to State on harassment cases

Staff Reporter

BERHAMPUR: Orissa Government is not taking up proper investigation and action in regard to allegations of harassment of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students studying at residential schools, alleged member of the National SC-ST Commission Mrutyunjay Nayak.

Speaking to newsmen on Tuesday night during his visit to the city, Mr Nayak cited complaints of sexual harassment and otherkinds of harassment at some residential schools that have reached the commission.

One of these complaints was related to a residential school at Taptapani in Ganjam district and two other complaints related to schools in Gajapati district.

Asked about the situation at the Daringbadi residential school for girls, which was investigated by the Commission members following allegations of harassment made by the girls, Mr Nayak said they were trying to bring back normalcy at the school. He, however, said that there was something fishy going on at the school and proper investigation was not made into the case of a suicide of a girl student of the school in the past.

Mr Nayak said if the State Government had failed to take proper action regarding these allegations of harassment at residential schools then the commission might use its civil court powers to issue summons to the administrative and police officials of the area for proper investigation. He also criticised the State Government for the alleged stagnant condition of the SC-ST Development Finance Corporation in Orissa. According to him the corporation never tried to recover loans provided to beneficiaries. It also did not send proper survey report regarding beneficiaries to the Centre for getting grants, he said.

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