Odisha to identify laws derogatory to leprosy affected

THE state government has constituted a three-member committee headed by principal secretary, Law department to identify discriminatory, derogatory, and demeaning provisions in state laws targeting leprosy affected or cured persons.

- BIJOY PRADHAN @ Bhubaneswar

The committee will examine all state laws that are discriminatory and offending towards leprosy patients for suitable amendment. The Law department has requested all other departments to furnish a list of laws which are still part of the statute book.

The directive came in the wake of the Supreme Court's May 7 order asking states to go for suitable amendments in all the statutes governing different departments.

The state government was sitting over the matter despite a direction from the Supreme Court in 2017 to look into its legislations and carry out necessary exercises, leaving no scope of discrimination to leprosy affected individuals or persons cured of the disease.