Ensure safe environment for women employees, girl students in all schools: Odisha Government to DEOs
In a letter to all the DEOs, School and Mass Education Secretary Shalini Pandit asked them to implement relevant provisions under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
'You are instructed to review the implementation of the above, along with timely constitution and re-constitution of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in all eligible establishments and further ensure that all provisions of the Act are followed in letter and spirit at all workplaces under your jurisdiction,' she said.
The secretary also told the DEOs to create a safe environment in schools for students for their physical, mental and socio-emotional well-being.
The officers were further instructed to implement Barnali, a gender equity programme, to promote positive gender attitudes and behaviours among students, teachers and parents and to eliminate gender-based violence in all elementary and secondary schools of the state in integration with the social studies curriculum.
Besides, the DEOs were asked to display helpline numbers (women helpline-181, child helpline-1098, police helpline-1 12, school student helpline-18003456722) at prominent places in all workplaces, schools and residential hostels.
Asking the officers to strictly follow the instructions, Ms. Pandit warned, 'Any deviation from this will be viewed seriously.' A second-year BEd student of a college in Balasore died at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar on Monday (July 14, 2025) night.
She had set herself on fire on the college campus on Saturday (July 12, 2025) over inaction against a professor who allegedly sexually harassed her.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
J&K Police attach property of drug peddler in Kulgam
Jammu and Kashmir Police have attached property of an alleged drug peddler under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in south Kashmir's Kulgam district. The police said that the said individual is involved in two separate NDPS cases. (File) Officials said that a house and land belonging to drug peddler Farooq Ahmad Mir, of Zadoora, was attached under the provisions of NDPS Act. 'The property- comprising a single-storey residential building (850 sq. ft.) along with 12 marlas of land with an estimated market value of ₹65 lakhs, has been attached,' a police spokesperson said. The police said that the said individual is involved in two separate NDPS cases. 'As per section 68-F of the NDPS Act, proceedings were initiated by the competent authority for the attachment of illegally acquired property believed to be purchased through proceeds of narcotic trafficking,' the spokesperson said.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Univs sensitise students, faculty, staff on POSH Act
1 2 Bhubaneswar: In the wake of a college student's self-immolation in Balasore over alleged sexual harassment by her head of department, state govt has urged universities and colleges to intensify awareness about the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, or POSH Act and measures to lodge complaints. Universities have started holding meetings, workshops and seminars to sensitise students, staff and other stakeholders to create safe campuses for women. While some of them have already conducted sensitisation programmes, others plan to carry out such activities. Utkal University on Friday conducted a seminar-cum-workshop on the POSH Act to raise awareness about workplace rights while promoting a safer, gender-sensitive environment within the academic space. Jointly hosted by the internal complaints committee (ICC) and the Post Graduate Council, experts explained the institutional framework and responsibilities of the ICC in handling harassment cases. They emphasised the importance of timely redressal and institutional support for complainants. Sambalpur University conducted a workshop on the Act this week, where experts highlighted different forms of harassment, including visual, verbal and non-verbal, and spoke on inappropriate behaviour such as unwanted messages and comments on appearance. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Passive Income Ideas Sitting at Home Mone Undo "We are planning to organise another workshop in Aug. Besides, we have strengthened the CCTV surveillance system, ensured proper lighting on the campus and a robust grievance redressal mechanism," said vice-chancellor Bidhu Bhusan Mishra. On July 22, a gender sensitisation workshop was organised by the ICC of Fakir Mohan University, Balasore, to raise awareness and understanding about gender discrimination and create a more sensitive and inclusive environment. "There is a dire need to eradicate all forms of gender bias and foster a culture of mutual respect on the campus," said VC Santosh Kumar Tripathy. Berhampur University also conducted an awareness meeting on the POSH Act on July 19. The university has decided to hold a sensitisation meeting on the Act every quarter, involving students and teachers. It has installed complaint boxes in different departments, hostels and other places and urged students to lodge their grievances.
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
Ex-min Eknath Khadse's son-in-law among 7 held after drugs & liquor seized in party at Pune flat
Pune: Former state minister Eknath Khadse's son-in-law Pranjal Khewalkar and six others, including two women, were arrested after a Pune police team claimed to have busted a house party early on Sunday in a Kharadi studio flat off Pune-Ahmednagar highway where cocaine, marijuana and hookah pots were used along with liquor consumption. Police later took Khewalkar, who is an MD (medicine) and the husband of Rohini Khadse, who heads the NCP (SP)'s state women's wing, and others to Sassoon General Hospital for medical tests and then to his bungalow in Hadapsar where searches were carried out as part of an investigation to trace the source of the drugs. "A laptop, three pen drives and a hard disk were among the articles seized from the bungalow," a police officer said. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Khewalkar and the others were produced before judicial magistrate first class N S Bari who ordered their custodial remand until Tuesday. Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar told TOI, "Our crime branch team reached the flat following a tip-off and detained seven individuals, including Khewalkar, who were found partying there. The team seized cocaine (2.5g), marijuana (70g), hookah flavours and many liquor bottles." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like She Was Everyone's Dream Girl In 90's, This Is Her Now The Noodle Box Undo Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Manoj Pingale said, "The seized drugs, hookah pots and flavours will be sent to forensic laboratory for further examination." Police identified the other individuals as Nikhil Poptani (35), a cigarette trader from Hadapsar, Sameer Sayyed (41), a hardware businessman from NIBM Road, Shripad Yadav (27), a builder from Akurdi, Sachin Bhombe (42) of Wagholi, Isha Singh (22) of Aundh and Prachi Sharma (23) of Mhalunge," deputy commissioner of police (crime) Nikhil Pingale said. He added that Khewalkar has a practice in Jalgaon and stays in Hadapsar. A case for offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) has been registered with the Kharadi police. Pingale said, "Khewalkar booked three suites in the studio apartment for three days between Friday and Sunday. He paid for them. Three other women were to arrive at the flat but walked away when the police action began. The men and the women know each other through a party circle." Sassoon General Hospital's medical superintendent Dr Yallapa Jadhav said, "Seven people, two women and five men, were brought to the hospital's casualty on Sunday at 6.15am for medical examination and sample for alcohol and drugs consumption. Two had consumed alcohol according to the primary examination by the CMO. Blood and urine samples were collected from all and sealed and handed over to the police." On Sunday afternoon, when TOI visited the apartment, the staff members said the two four-storey buildings have 34 suites. The rooms are available from Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,500, inclusive of breakfast and dinner. "Many people visit the apartment daily, and we give them rooms after taking photocopies of their ID cards," a staffer said. In court, prosecutor Priyanka Vengurlekar submitted that police needed seven days of custody to investigate the source of the drugs, including cocaine and marijuana, and to ascertain if an organized gang was involved in the illegal sale of banned substances and if the accused have links to any inter-state drug network. "Two of the accused arrested are habitual offenders as they have cases registered against them in the past" she added. Khewalkar's lawyer Vijaysingh Thombare submitted that the arrest was politically motivated. "There were previous attempts by the police in civil clothes to trap my client at two different locations, and CCTV footage from both sites supports this claim," he said. Lawyer Abid Mulani, representing two other accused, submitted, "Police failed to provide the grounds of arrest to the accused at the time of their detention which is in direct violation of Section 50 of the CrPC, which mandates that the arrested persons be informed of the grounds in such an arrest." Lawyer Sachin Zalte, appearing for co-accused Shripad Yadav, submitted that police have failed to mention in their arrest report the quantity of cocaine seized from the accused. The omission is crucial, as possession of less than two grams qualifies as a bailable offence under the current law. The court, while granting two-day custody, said the allegations of illegal arrest can be taken up in subsequent hearings.
