Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, May 9: An administrative inquiry conducted into the death of Sikhya Sahayak Itishree Pradhan has recommended punitive action against OAS officers Laxmikanta Behera and Alok Kumar Pradhan.
The state government had ordered an inquiry into Itishree’s death after a directive from the Supreme Court. Agriculture secretary Rajesh Verma conducted the investigation and submitted the report to the government by recommending action against the concerned officers.
“Behera was the district project coordinator of SSA (Sarva Sikhya Abhiyan) in Rayagada district from June 20, 2012 to August 1, 2013 and Pradhan was working as Kasipur BDO since December 2012. Behera had in March 2013 visited the Tikiri Upper Primary School in Rayagada district where the victim worked but no action has been taken by him to (vitiate) such disturbing atmosphere of the school. This needs to be examined by the school and mass education department. Another disturbing aspect is that while the victim was running from pillar to post seeking justice, no distress signals were generated by the administrative machinery,” Verma said.
Following his recommendation, the department moved the general administration (GA) department seeking action against the two officers. “Since the services of Behera and Pradhan are presently under the administrative control of the GAD, action as deemed proper may kindly be taken by the department under intimation to this department as well as home department,” S&ME joint secretary B Sethy wrote to GAD secretary GVV Sarma.
School headmaster CS Panda, despite being aware of the developments, did not report to higher authorities, the report said. “Though Panda extended support and lent a helping hand to the victim, he should have alerted education department authorities and the block administration regarding the dangerous situation developing in the school,” the report said.
Similarly, cluster resource centre coordinator Duryo Majhi visited the school on two occasions during the period of turmoil, but failed to detect any abnormality in the school’s functioning, it said.Insensitivity of district education authorities is also evident as Netrananda Dandasena was promoted in October 2013, even as he was absconding, and was again posted to Tikiri Circle.
“Though a promotion order was issued on the recommendation of the District Promotion Committee dated November 29, 2O12 and a letter dated October 5, 2O13 from the director, elementary education, inclusion of Dandasena’s name in promotion order could have been avoided,” the report said.
