Rajkot: The Kutch district administration has ordered a probe against a child development project officer (CDPO) for allegedly forcing anganwadi workers into taking Covid-19 vaccine and threatening them with dire consequence, if they refused to take the shot.
The incident came to light after an audio clip of the woman CDPO went viral on social media on Friday.
The woman, whose name was not revealed by the district officials, is heard saying that she wanted list of all anganwadi workers including pregnant women who have been advised not to take the Covid-19 vaccine.
In the clip, the woman is heard giving instructions to workers in Nana Assamiya village of Mandvi taluka.
The female officer is heard saying that all women must take the vaccine. “I want all the workers and helpers to be vaccinated. You either take the vaccine or give your resignations,” the CDPO is heard saying. She also instructs her assistant or colleague named Pragya to prepare a list of all those who have not taken the jab.
“It (vaccine) is compulsory for everybody. I attended a video conference where the DDO (district development officer) sir rebuked us and asked why the worker were not taking the vaccine?” the officer is heard saying.
She also told anganwadi workers who did not take vaccine shot on Friday to come and take it on Saturday or their supervisor will also face action.
She goes on to give an example of a supervisor in Abdasa who got suspended for not taking the vaccine. “If you do not follow the instructions, all the supervisors will be suspended. I have got instructions,” she adds.
When contacted Kutch DDO Bhavya Varma said, “We have already ordered an inquiry into the audio clip. The woman officer has gone a little overboard. She was there to review who had taken the vaccine and who are still left out. The way she talked is absolutely incorrect. One cannot force anybody to take the vaccine.”
He said the CDPO was there to collect data. “We need to plan how many frontline workers will take vaccines in the coming days and coordinate with other departments. I believe that her intention was to review progress,” said Varma.