Pregnant govt employee loses child after being 'denied' leave in Odisha’s Kendrapada
Kendrapara (Odisha), Oct 29: A 26-year-old Odisha government employee claimed that she lost her child in the womb after allegedly being denied leave by a Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) while experiencing severe labour pain at her office in Kendrapara district.
The incident occurred on October 25 but came to light on Tuesday when the woman, Barsha Priyadarshini, shared her story with the media.
Barsha, an employee of the Women and Child Development Department in the district's Derabish block, said she was in her seventh month of pregnancy and felt intense pain at work.
She alleged that she requested CDPO Snehalata Sahoo and other officials to take her to hospital, but they ignored her pleas. Barsha also claimed that Snehalata mistreated her.
Later, Barsha's relatives took her to a private hospital in Kendrapara, where an ultrasound revealed that her baby had died.
She claimed that "mental harassment and gross negligence" of the CDPO led to her loss and also filed a written complaint to the district collector, demanding strict action against the Sahoo.
Nilu Mohapatra, additional district magistrate (ADM), Kendrapara said, "After getting the complaint, the district administration has directed the District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO) to submit a report after investigating the matter. After getting the report, we will take action."
Expressing concern over the incident, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida in a post on X said she discussed about the incident with Kendrapara collector and directed him to immediately conduct a detailed investigation and submit a report.
Reacting to the allegation, the CDPO said she was unaware of Barsha's suffering.
"A committee will be formed to investigate the matter. After that, we will submit our report," said Manorama Swain, DSWO, Kendrapara.
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New Delhi: Opposition MPs have urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to extend the tenure of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. They argued that a mere three-month period to finalise the report is insufficient given the legislation's broad implications.
The MPs highlighted that the bill proposes extensive changes to existing laws, impacting a significant portion of the population. “Rushing the report could lead to improper recommendations,” the opposition members stated in their letter to the Speaker.
Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee noted after a meeting with Birla that the Speaker had assured them of an extension to allow more stakeholders to present their views.
The letter also criticised the inclusion of “irrelevant organisations and individuals” in the JPC’s discussions and pointed out that several state governments, including Bihar, New Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh, have yet to appear before the committee.
The Winter Session of Parliament, which begins today, includes the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, among the bills set for consideration. The bill aims to digitise records, introduce stricter audits, enhance transparency, and reclaim illegally occupied properties.
The JPC has conducted 25 sittings so far, engaging with government officials, legal experts, Waqf Board members, and community representatives across states and Union Territories. However, opposition MPs stressed that hastily finalising the report could undermine the legislative process and diminish Parliament’s credibility.
