The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued summons to the Odisha Health and Family Welfare Secretary to personally appear before the commission on March 14, 2018.
The court issued summons because despite earlier reminders to the Health Secretary he did not submit a report on a pregnant women dying due to non-availability of ambulance in Brahmagiri of Puri district.
Earlier, Human Rights Watch secretary Sangita Swain in a petition to NHRC had alleged that on March 4, 2016, a pregnant woman of Brahmagiri Sumitra Bhoi had died as no ambulance was provided by the Government which violates human rights due to inaction of the concerned authorities. She also demanded Rs 20 lakh compensation to be paid to the kin of the deceased.
But despite two reminders the Health Secretary did not submit a report regarding the case. The commission took a very serious view of the Secretary’s unresponsive attitude and wanted his personal appearance to explain his casual attitude in taking cognisance of the NHRC case.