TV
Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida has directed that salaries of college authorities will be withheld if they fail to form Internal Complaints Committees (ICC) as mandated under the POSH Act.
The state government has set a one-month deadline for all colleges to establish these committees to address complaints related to sexual harassment.
Parida also stated that individuals making false allegations will face action under the provisions of the POSH Act. Emphasizing the importance of awareness, she informed that the campaign initiated from Lok Seva Bhawan would now be extended to block-level institutions as well.
The move aims to ensure stricter enforcement of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) guidelines across educational institutions and promote a safe environment for students and staff. The Deputy CM’s remarks highlight the government’s commitment to upholding the rights of complainants while also penalising misuse of the Act.
Speaking on the matter, Odisha Deputy CM Pravati Parida said, "Those who will not implement it, their salary will be withheld. We will ensure that this is implemented within a month. Those who make false accusations, actions will be taken against them as well. To create awareness about POSH, the campaign was initiated from Lok Seva Bhawan which will move to block level."
Previously, the government directed the installation of CCTV cameras and formation of ICC in all schools to address cases of sexual harassment or gender-based discrimination, in line with the provisions of the POSH Act.
In another incident, Cuttcak District Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde recently ordered the stoppage of salary payments for employees of over 100 government and aided colleges under his jurisdiction for allegedly failing to submit mandatory Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) reports.
These developments come after several cases of sexual harassment incidents surfaced across various educational institutions in the state.
