An accountant with the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) who was terminated from her job for complaining against her superiors has lodged an FIR with the women police station in Williamnagar.
The police complaint was lodged by the woman (name withheld on request) on December 21 against Maternal and Child Health Officer Dr. Lobingwell M. Sangma and District Programme Manager Karak Sevenstar A. Sangma.
It may be mentioned that five women workers that included the accountant, two health assistants and a nutrition counsellor with the Health Department had complained of harassment in the workplace.
According to the complainants, though an enquiry into the complaint against Dr. Sangma was conducted by the Additional District Magistrate they were blamed for “indiscipline towards the authorities” and “violation of conduct rules.”
The complainants had contested the enquiry as the Additional District Magistrate as they alleged that their statements were not recorded.
The accountant told Highland Post today that the delay in lodging the FIR was not intentional but due to fear of losing her job because she was earlier threatened of termination during a district level meeting held in the first week of October, 2022.
She alleged that Dr. Sangma and Karak continued to harass her which prompted her to lodge a police complaint.
The woman was appointed as the accountant on contractual basis in 2015. She stated in Bansamgre and Nengmandalgre PHCs she was continuously “harassed, humiliated, assaulted and abused” by Dr. Sangma.
While she was accused of illegally collecting money from the ASHA workers and doing business in Bansamgre PHC, she also stated that Dr Sangma had asked one Dr. Balnadia R. Marak to file a complaint letter against her with an adverse remark in the appraisal report.
