Bhubaneswar: A day after a Class VIII student succumbed to his burn injuries owing to hot pulses falling on him while cooking, the Odiahs government on Tuesday suspended the headmistress of Dengula High School in Odisha’s Sundargarh district, Carmela Bilung, and the Welfare Extension Officer (WEO) of Koida block, Bikash Ranjan Naik on charges of casualness towards duties.
In addition, Naik has been issued a show-cause notice.
In a letter to the District Welfare Officer, ST/SC Development Secretary Roopa Roshan Sahoo, wrote, “It is reported that the child was helping the cook in the kitchen for which he sustained burn injuries and died while under treatment. This speaks of laxity in supervision and monitoring of the hostels and mess management in the district on your part for which the subordinate staff like WEO, headmistress and CCAs failed to perform their duties diligently.”
Naik has been directed to reply to the notice within three days as to why action should not be initiated against him.
It is worth mentioning here that Gelet Hanhaga, died on Sunday night after he suffered burn injuries while shifting the utensil containing hot pulses from the oven on March 6. He was initially taken to Koida community health centre and then shifted to Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH), where he breathed his last on Monday.
Soon after the boy’s death, the DWO reached the school, run under SC&ST Development Department, and started an inquiry into the tragic incident.
Currently, the WEO and headmistress have been posted in the office of the Sub Collector, Bonai.
