Ashok Das, who was the Janata Dal president then, had written to Biju Patnaik August 31, 1994, proposing the creation of a social worker’s post in Capital Hospital, according to a letter that is available with Orissa POST. Patnaik had promptly given his approval to this
Asish Mehta
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar: The state government is celebrating the birth centenary of former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik. However, one significant measure that he had supported is yet to become a reality.
The former Chief Minister had in 1994 given his assent to the creation of a post of social worker at Capital Hospital. However, this is yet to be done.
Ashok Das, who was the Janata Dal president then, had written to Biju Patnaik August 31, 1994, proposing the creation of a social worker’s post in Capital Hospital, according to a letter that is available with Orissa POST. Patnaik had promptly given his approval to this.
Das had also recommended the name of Ajay Kumar Mohapatra, who was then with the Indian Red Cross Society, for the post.
Mohapatra said several people had died in an accident involving a tourist bus at Birmaharajpur in 1994.
“The survivors and the victims had been brought to Capital Hospital. I was taking bodies to the mortuary around 5:45 am. Biju Patnaik was also present in the hospital as his wife Gyan Patnaik was undergoing an eye operation. The moment he saw me carrying the bodies, he asked Das to create a dedicated social worker’s post in Capital Hospital. Das then wrote on the Janata Dal letterhead recommending my name for the post. Biju Patnaik signed on the letterhead within a couple of days,” Mohapatra said.
“After the CM’s approval, then chief medical officer (CMO) Dr Niranjan Mohanty went to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, to know about the duties of a social worker. The CMO wrote to the director of health services (DHS) who then prepared an interim budget pegged at Rs 30, 000, and sent it to the health and family welfare department. However, several years have passed, but no decision has been taken,” he said.
“I then approached the administrative tribunal here in this regard. The tribunal then passed an order December 21, 2006, for the creation of the post within six months. However, after three years, then commissioner of health and family welfare department told the tribunal that there were many NGOs in the hospital and there was no requirement of any social worker. I then approached the additional director of health services, and despite his response to the court he made a new file regarding the post and sent it to senior officials,” Mohapatra, who has received National Youth Award from late Prime Minister Narasimha Rao, and State Youth Award from Biju Patnaik, alleged.
“For several years, the IAS officers did not say whether or not the post of social worker will be created at Capital Hospital. The files remained with the officials and they never reached Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Had the files reached the Chief Minister, I would not have suffered for so many years,” said Mohapatra.
Capital Hospital director Biswa Bhusan Patnaik said there is a NGO named Sahay Foundation that is looking after the work that is usually undertaken by social workers.
“Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) is funding Sahay Foundation. The NGO’s members are involved in the work that is usually undertaken by social workers. There is no requirement of the social worker’s post now,” he said. Capital Hospital sources said there are a few NGOs, but they are not of much help.
“The family members of the deceased have to pay sweepers in the area to carry the bodies to and from the hospital mortuary,” they said.
There are two posts of senior social worker and junior social worker each at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, VSS Medical College and Hospital in Burla, and MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur. However, these are lying vacant for several years.