Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government’s Revenue and Disaster Management Department on Tuesday issued an advisory to all district collectors and municipal commissioners, focusing on the safety of enumerators engaged in the first phase of Census 2027—the Houselisting and Housing Census.
According to a communication issued by Revenue and Disaster Management Department Additional Chief Secretary Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, the first phase of the census exercise commenced on April 16, 2026, and will continue till May 15, 2026. During this period, enumerators are undertaking door-to-door surveys to gather detailed information on housing conditions, household amenities, and assets owned by families across the state.
The advisory comes in the wake of several incidents reported from different districts during field operations. These include the alleged death of an enumerator due to a suspected heart attack after census duty in Subarnapur district, a case of a missing female enumerator in Mayurbhanj, multiple instances of heat-related illnesses and minor accidents in Balasore, and a road accident reported from Rourkela.
In response, the department has directed district administrations to implement immediate precautionary measures to ensure the safety and well-being of field personnel. Officials have been instructed to mitigate heat-related risks, identify hazardous areas during data collection, and ensure continuous monitoring and tracking of enumerators throughout the exercise.
The advisory also stresses the importance of sensitising enumerators on field safety protocols, particularly in view of rising temperatures and the physically demanding nature of door-to-door data collection. District authorities have been asked to strengthen coordination mechanisms and ensure swift emergency response systems in case of any untoward incidents involving field staff.
