The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Kandhamal SP asking them for a report within four weeks on the death of two girl students on September 29 when a wall of the school building collapsed in Kandhamal district.
The NHRC issued the notices on the basis of a complaint lodged by Human Rights Watch (HRW) secretary Sangita Swain.
The school girls Rasmita Kanhar and Arnapurna Pradhan died and many others were injured when the wall of Bastingia Sevashram under Chakapada gave in. The building had been constructed by the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) and the Department of School and Mass Education in 2008, the complainant said.
The HRW has urged the NHRC to direct the State Government to give compensation of Rs10 lakh to the family of each deceased and Rs5 lakh to the injured students. The organisation also requested the commission to direct the Government to take stringent action against the concerned authorities.