Odisha Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak Resigns

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak on Friday tendered his resignation owning moral responsibility for the death of 25 persons in the SUM hospital fire mishap.

“Health minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak sent me his letter of resignation. He has resigned on moral grounds. I have accepted it and sent the resignation letter to the Governor,” declared Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Pradip Kumar Amat has been appointed as new Health and Family Welfare Minister. Forest and Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha has been given the responsibilities of Information and Broadcasting portfolio.

Nayak was under pressure for his alleged connection with Manoj Nayak, the owner of SUM hospital. His wife is working as a lecturer in a college owned by Nayak.

The media and opposition parties were mounting pressure on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to sack Health minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak for his connection with Manoj Nayak, who has been arrested for the fire mishap.