Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has expressed deep concern over attacks on census staff and various incidents during the ongoing first phase of the 2027 Census, directing comprehensive safety measures for all officers and personnel involved in the exercise.
A review meeting was held on Wednesday at Lok Seva Bhavan under the chairmanship of Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari to assess the situation. The first phase of the 2027 Census is underway in the state from April 16 to May 15. Officers and enumerators are going door to door to collect data on housing conditions, family facilities, and other household-related information.
In view of the adverse circumstances, Minister Pujari directed district administrations to ensure the safety of all staff engaged in census work. Considering the heatwave and extreme summer temperatures, he instructed all District Collectors to suspend census activities between 11 am and 3 pm. Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, has written to all top census officers, District Collectors, and Municipal Commissioners.
The letter directs them to address heatwave-related issues, identify workplace hazards, and regularly track census enumerators. It also calls for creating awareness among enumerators about personal safety to ensure data collection is completed within the stipulated time.
The Minister further directed District Collectors to ensure basic needs of enumerators, issue Standard Operating Procedures for their safety, and coordinate with the Home Department to hold the police administration responsible for security. Since teachers are primarily engaged in census duty, arrangements are being made to prevent disruption in school education and midday meals for children.
Discussions have also been held on online teaching arrangements during the summer vacation. Minister Pujari informed that in case of loss of life during census work, compensation will be provided from the Disaster Management Fund, the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, or the Red Cross Fund, if necessary.
Additional Chief Secretary Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee and Odisha Census Director Nikhil Pawan Kalyan were present at the meeting.
