Responding to the National Human Rights Commission’s (NHRC) warning of coercive action over the lack of protection and promotion of ‘Rakta Tirtha Eram’ in Bhadrak district of Odisha, the District Collector in a report has stated that needful has been done and the process would be completed by December 31, 2020.
The NHRC has expressed it serious displeasure against the Odisha Government time and again over the six-year pending case filed by human rights activist and lawyer RadhakantaTripathy. Visiting the spot and witnessing the situation recently, Tripathy said that even after 78 years of freedom struggle, Rakta Tirtha Eram known as ‘Jalianawalabagh of Odisha’ continued to be neglected and never got the historical importance it deserves.
In 2014 ,the NHRC had asked the State Chief Secretary to submit an action taken report over the issue. Later on, the Ministry of Home Affairs had also taken cognisance of an application submitted by Tripathy for providing tourist tag to Eram and doing the needful for making it a place of national importance. Since then the issue is making rounds in the bureaucratic juggernauts.
Even after five years of announcement of the area as a tourist place, nothing has been done to develop the place. Pertinent to mention here three years ago Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had sanctioned Rs 1 crore to develop Eram. However, the money lies unspent, Tripathy alleged.