Ranchi, Feb. 5: Jharkhand chief secretary Rajiv Gauba chaired a meeting of various departmental officials on eradication of witch-craft practices in the state. He urged the officials to conduct public awareness program at different levels so that the superstition involved with this can be stopped completely.
Gauba instructed the officials to organize health camps in the areas affected by witch-craft practice and ensure that the camps are properly supervised.
The CS added that along with spreading the awareness program, teenage girls of the villages should be encouraged to get training in Para-medical courses under Skill Development Program so that they can spread awareness against such superstitious traits. He instructed the Health Department to prepare a monthly schedule and instruct the village panchayats to conduct the camp accordingly.
It was decided in the meeting that Information and Public Relations Department would start a publicity campaign through its LED Publicity van along with other publicity materials, to create awareness in all districts against the superstitious trait.
The campaign is scheduled to commence from February 10 and will cover all the villages.
The chief secretary also issued instructions to all the departments to submit a progress report on the issue within the next 15 days to the Secretary, Women, Child Development and Social Security Department.
It was also decided in the meeting that all cases pending in such matter with various police stations should be deeply reviewed and get the culprits convicted within a timeframe.
The meeting was attended by Vinay Kumar Chaubey, secretary, Women, Child Development and Social Security Department, SP (CID) and officials from Social Welfare Department, Health Department and Information and Public Relations Department.