BALANGIR: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the State Government to provide compensation of `1 lakh to Subal Selma, a Class X, who lost his hand due to electrocution during school hours.
Selma, a Class X student of Prutwiraj High School, Balangir, lost his right hand after coming in contact with a snapped high voltage live wire lying on a pond on July 5 in 2016. Selma had gone near the pond to attend nature’s call as the school’s toilet was non-functional and locked. The child came in contact with the live wire lying on the pond’s bank and sustained severe burn injuries.
Locals rushed him to District Headquarters Hospital from where he was shifted to Burla Medical College Hospital and from there to IGH Hospital at Rourkela. The doctors in Ispat Hospital had to amputate Selma’s hand.
A lawyer, Sudhanshu Kumar Nanda petitioned the NHRC seeking it to direct the State Government to pay interim compensation of `5 lakh to the boy, direct the Government of Odisha to submit a report to NHRC within two weeks, an impartial inquiry into the matter and initiate criminal cases against the erring officials.
Earlier, Child Welfare Committee, Balangir had also directed District Education Officer to inquire and submit a report on the issue.Further, Secretary in School and Mass Communication Department was directed to issue necessary directions to the schools for not allowing their students to go outside the campus during school hours and submit a report in this regard within six weeks.
In another direction issued recently, NHRC has asked the Health Department for a report on the compensation paid or pending in the case of Jashoda Dharua, who died in Belpada CHC after a family planning operation. During tubectomy operation of Maheswar Dharua’s wife, her intestine got cut leading to her death, stated the complainant, Dillip Kumar Das.
Pursuant to the directions of the Commission, Additional Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, intimated that compensation of `50,000 has already been paid to the Maheswar and steps have been taken to award indemnity claim of `2,00,000 by the ADMO (Family Welfare & Immunisation).
The Additional Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Odisha, is directed to send, within six weeks, a report on the status of payment of indemnity claim of `2,00,000 by the ADMO (Family Welfare & Immunisation) to Maheswar.