: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has intervened and asked for reports regarding the death of a Class VI student in a school in Ganjam district of Odisha.
The NHRC has written to the Odisha mass education department and Ganjam Superintendent of Police (SP) to submit reports regarding the incident within four weeks.
The mishap occurred on October 16, 2014 on the premises of the primary school at Nimakhandipentha village under Digapahandi police station of Ganjam district.
A Class VI student, K. Tilottama Patra, had been seriously injured, when a portion of the wall of a half-constructed school toilet collapsed on her. She died at MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur the next day.
Following this incident, the district education officer had suspended Jatia Mallik, headmaster of the school.
The State government had provided a compensation of one lakh rupees from Chief Minister’s relief fund to the family of the victim.
But the parents of the victim were not satisfied with the action initiated by the government against the erring person.
It was alleged that for some reason the toilet in this school had remained in a half-constructed state for a long time.
On December 18, 2014, K. Jagannath Patra, father of the victim, had approached the NHRC regarding the issue. Based on the complaint filed by Mr Patra, the NHRC has asked for reports from the local police and State mass education department regarding the accident.
Following recent happenings, authorities of the administration and Sarva Shikshya Abhiyan had decided to make an in depth enquiry into the condition of toilets in schools of Ganjam district.
