Odisha Steps Up Safety Measures for Census 2027 Enumerators Amid Field-Work Risks
Apr 22 (BNP): The Odisha Government’s Revenue and Disaster Management Department has issued a fresh advisory to district collectors and municipal commissioners, stressing enhanced safety protocols for enumerators engaged in the first phase of Census 2027—the houselisting and housing census exercise.
The field operation, which began on April 16, 2026, and will continue till May 15, 2026, involves door-to-door surveys across the state to collect data on housing conditions, household amenities, and assets owned by families.
The advisory comes after reports of multiple incidents during fieldwork in different districts, including a suspected health-related death of an enumerator in Subarnapur, a missing enumerator case in Mayurbhanj, heat-related illness and minor accidents in Balasore, and a road accident in Rourkela.
In view of these concerns, the department has directed local administrations to strengthen on-ground monitoring, ensure real-time tracking of field staff, and take preventive steps to reduce exposure to heat and other operational risks. District authorities have also been asked to identify vulnerable areas and ensure quick medical response wherever required.
Officials have further been instructed to sensitise enumerators on safety guidelines, particularly given the physically demanding nature of door-to-door data collection and prevailing weather conditions.
The advisory underscores the state’s focus on balancing the efficiency of the nationwide census exercise with the safety and well-being of frontline field workers.
