Bhubaneswar, Nov. 26: The department of technical education has issued directions to all universities and colleges under it to immediately constitute sexual harassment prevention committees.

The colleges have been asked to address sexual harassment complaints on priority basis and form the committee according to the provision of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act.

The initiative follows after a series of cases in the recent past. The government has taken a serious view of the lapses made in the case of sexual harassment relating to Itishree Pradhan, a 27-year-old schoolteacher of Rayagada, who was set on fire by goons last month.

An official of the department said that any move to suppress or neglect complaints would be viewed seriously.

“Women are generally vulnerable to harassment. Educational institutes have a good number of staff strength both as women faculty and students. It cannot be ruled out that these women are not harassed. A proper committee, if in place, will give the women the courage to raise the issue,” said a senior official of the department.

“Allegations of sexual harassment against any teacher or student in the colleges are grave issues that ought to be dealt with all seriousness and must be reported. All the colleges must form a committee with immediate effect,” the official said.

Not many cases of sexual harassment have been reported under the department of technical education. “This could be possibly because there aren't enough mechanism within the institutions,” the senior officials said.