The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) on Monday passed an order to the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner to provide rations to the commercial sex workers. It specified that the rations should be given irrespective of whether they have ration cards or not. The order further specified that strict compliance to it should be made and reported in the next hearing.
The OHRC acted on a petition of MADHYAM and Mahila Adhikar Abhyan chairperson Namrata Chadha, who had highlighted the plight of the sex workers in the lockdown and corona scenario.
Social activist Anil Dhir, who had earlier written to the authorities about the condition of the sex workers of Bhubaneswar and Paradip, has demanded that the Government announce a specific economic package for the sex workers to help them tide over the crisis.
Bharat Raksha Manch general secretary Pradipta Tripathy said this is the right time for the Government to take measures for rehabilitating the sex workers who have been forced into the flesh trade. Alternate livelihood scopes should be explored for them.
