The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Chief Secretaries of Odisha and Chhattisgarh to submit an Action Taken Reports (ATRs) within four weeks on the present condition of the Hirakud Dam evictees,.
The NHRC also sought compliance report on the investigation conducted by NHRC Special Rapportuer BB Mishra. The commission also deputed Mishra for conducting further investigation and submitting a final report on this issue.
The NHRC has been passing a series of directions adjudicating the petition and rejoinder filed by activist and lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy, who alleged failure, negligence and inaction of Odisha to look into the evictees problems.,
Tripathy further alleged that though an interim-report of the Special Rapporteur has been sent to the State authorities for compliance, but despite lapse of substantial period of time, no compliance report has been sent to the commission till date.
The State authorities are playing dirty tricks of consuming time and delaying the process of ensuring basic human rights of lakhs of victims, most of whom are of third generation. The Special Rapporteur has visited a few areas and submitted in his interim report explaining the tragic condition of human life due to failure and inaction of the State.
Seeking permanent solution of the issue of human rights of the victims of a world-class project, Tripathy requested the NHRC to monitor the case on a monthly basis and solve the problems faced by the victims for generations in Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sundargarh and Subarnapur districts of Odisha and Raigarh, Sarguja districts of Chhattisgarh.
Tripathy further stated that the problems faced by the people of at least thirty-four villages, who are living around the dam can be sorted out within a year, if monitored properly by the district administration.