Bhubaneswar: Expressing anguish over organization of social functions inside the Odisha Association for the Blind (OAB) here, SSEPD Principal Secretary Bishnupada Sethi has directed to stop organizing such events.
The Principal Secretary has recently visited the OAB campus located at Satyanagar and has taken serious exception to certain activities conducted on the premises of the association building.
It has been noticed that the building and the surrounding areas within the premises are being utilized for various social functions ranging from marriage reception to bratopanayan and kitty parties.
The facility houses visually impaired people and various vocational training programmes are also conducted there. The entire premise was found to be strewn with bamboo, iron rods, concrete blocks, and various such materials which is potentially hazardous for the inmates.
On the instruction of Principal Secretary, Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) Additional Secretary Santosh Pradhan has written a letter to the Secretary of OAB, in this regard.
“The access/ movement of blind people in the campus is not obstacle free. Besides, fire safety must be ensured. You are therefore instructed to stop all such above activities forthwith. The facility must be utilized only for the purpose as mandated,” the Department SSEPD said in its letter.
The Principal Secretary will be visiting the association building very shortly to ensure strict compliances of the above order.
