Scribes defy Covid scare, help family dispose of body head master in Odisha’s Ganjam

By Swagatika Bhutia

Bhubaneswar, July 23: Four journalists of Odisha’s Ganjam district have set an example of high standard of humanity by helping a family dispose body of a deceased member which was lying unattended by relatives and villagers due to Covid-19 scare.

According to reports, Pitambar Padhi, a retired teacher of Badadanda village under Seragada block was ill for the past few days. He breathed his last on Wednesday.

As the two sons of Pitambar are staying in other states, the family members were in dilemma how to conduct the funeral of the deceased.

Suspecting that the teacher might have died of Covid-19, the relatives and villagers did not attend the body for funeral.

On being informed about the development, scribes Meghanad Das, Sankar Prasad Pradhan, Balaji Pradhan and Ajit Kumar Panda rushed to Badadanda.

Putting on personal protective equipments, the journalists moved the body out of the house and sent it to MKCG Medical College and Hospital by an ambulance.

A video of the exemplary action of the journalists has gone viral on social media.

Commending the action of journalists, Odisha Union of Journalists (OUJ) president and National Union of Journalists Secretary General Prasanna Mohanty said, “I’m proud of the humanitarian service of our scribe friends. They have set highest standard of compassion and humanity which will inspire others.”

OUJ General Secretary Ashok Kumar Nanda, OUJ Ganjam district president and NUJ National Executive member Prakash Panigrahi ihave also praised the efforts of the four scribes.