A physically handicapped woman staged a fast unto death in front of the district collectorate with his visually impaired husband and handicapped daughter.
This followed after the district administration failed to provide her a job despite the fact that the Court of Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities had directed it to appoint her as a teacher in 15 days.
According to sources, Madhusmita Samal, a handicap and her visually impaired husband Saroj Kumar Behera of Arasa village under Rajkanika police limits by taking their handicap daughter staged the agitation.
According to Samal, she had applied for Contract Teacher-TGT Arts stream in 2013-14. As many as three seats were reserved for the persons with disabilities (PwD) category. Three persons, including Achyutananda Samal and Ranjan Kumar Das, were selected in the merit list for getting appointment in the PwD category.
later, Achyutananda Samal, who stood 1st in the merit list of the locomotor disability category, was referred to by the Appellate Board at SCB Medical College, Cuttack for verification of his disability. But his disability was found 10 per cent.
As a result he was disqualified whereas Ranjan Das, who was at second place in locomotor disability category, was also disqualified due to double candidature. As a result, Madhusmita remained the only eligible candidate to get appointment. But, the post for locomotor disability has been kept vacant instead of selecting the complainant for such post. Though she later made several representations and approached the District Education Officer of Kendrapada and other authority to appoint her, but no action was taken.
On the contrary, the then District Education Officer passed derogatory comments affecting her dignity. later, the District Education Officer took a plea of ban order on the post.
Samal later knocked the door of the Court of State Commissioner for PWDs and the latter asked the authorities to take the matter of Madhusmita as a special case and give her appointment. Though more than six months have passed to the order, it is yet to be carried out.