Admn notice to NGO for flouting PwD norms

RAYAGADA: Collector Guha Punam Tapas Kumar recently issued a notice to Prishan Foundation, an NGO working on women and child, for violating norms under Persons With Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995. The charitable organisation runs a home for visually impaired children in the district.

Sources said the NGO run by an Iranian woman having British citizenship, Nargish K Asthari (28), came under  scanner after a minor boy drowned in Nagavali river during a picnic near the hanging bridge in 2014. Boy's father Peter Jilakara had filed a case against Nargish and secretary of the organisation Raju Gupta at Rayagada police station.

When contacted, District Child Protection Officer Ramesh Chandra Naik said the organisation got registered under Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. But later, it surrendered the registration certificate before the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) after they failed to meet the guidelines of the Government. The department has also asked the NGO to register the home under PwD Act but it is yet to act on the order, he added. Acting on a directive of the Collector, a joint probe was conducted by Rayagada SDPO and District Social Security Officer (DSSO) and submitted a report. Later, the Collector issued a show cause notice to the secretary of Parishan Foundation, Naik said. However, the organisation has sought more time to submit its reply. Earlier, the Collector had also filed a case against the director of ASSIST, a Rayagada-based NGO, over irregularities.

Meanwhile, Peter has written to Collector and SP of Rayagada and Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) again seeking justice over death of his son. In his petition, he alleged that Nargish is influencing local police and administration during the investigation.

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