Cuttack: The Orissa high court has sought from the state govt an affidavit detailing measures taken to promote mental health awareness among students and address deficiencies in Odisha’s mental healthcare system.The high court issued the direction while hearing a PIL filed by S K Sabir Ali and Rabeya Tabassum of Cuttack and Sarita Barpanda of Bhubaneswar. The matter will be heard next on Oct 15.The court’s order, passed on Sept 17, came against the backdrop of concerns raised in the PIL for the implementation of Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, and the availability of adequate mental health services across Odisha.A division bench of Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Chittaranjan Dash observed that the petition raised a ‘serious concern’ about the mental well-being of students and other sections of society requiring comprehensive mental health awareness programmes in schools, colleges, universities and other educational institutions. The bench further noted that recent reports indicated several instances raising concerns about the mental well-being of students and other sections of society.
File :An onsite training program on “Mental Wellness, Positive Well-being & Awareness on Tele-MANAS (Toll-free 14416) for College Students at Jajpur Brajasundar School
An onsite training program has successfully completed on “Mental Wellness, Positive Well-being & Awareness on Tele-MANAS (Toll-free 14416) for College Students at Jajpur Brajasundar School by Odisha
File :An onsite training program on “Mental Wellness, Positive Well-being & Awareness on Tele-MANAS (Toll-free 14416) for College Students at Jajpur Brajasundar School
“The government cannot show any apathetic attitude in this regard,” the judges said, directing the state to disclose the steps taken across Odisha within three weeks. The court will consider the state’s affidavit on Oct 15.The petition, filed through advocate Afraaz Suhail, sought effective implementation of the 2017 Act, besides adequate rehabilitation infrastructure, functioning statutory authorities and mental health review boards, awareness programmes, specialised personnel at grassroots healthcare institutions and appropriate state rules.The petitioners cited NCRB data to highlight the scale of the concern, stating that Odisha recorded 5,791 suicides in 2024. Of these, 3,287 cases, or 56.8%, were attributed to family problems. The petition said the figures highlighted the need for accessible counselling, psychological support, suicide prevention measures and timely psychosocial intervention.A major concern raised was the shortage of rehabilitation facilities. The petition claimed that Odisha has only one govt-run rehabilitation centre for persons with mental illnesses, at SCB Medical College and Hospital, with the capacity to accommodate 150 patients. It alleged that the remaining 30 districts have no dedicated rehabilitation centre.The petition also alleged that most primary health centres and community health centres lack qualified mental health professionals, affecting timely diagnosis and treatment at the grassroots level.It further claimed that mental health review boards constituted in every district in 2021 have remained “defunct since their very inception” and that no steps have been taken for their reconstitution or renewal.
