The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has asked the State Government to for an action-taken report (ATR) over the alleged inaction of the Government in providing basic facilities like drinking water to the public in general, both in rural and urban areas, in Odisha.
Basing on a news report published in The Pioneer on July 14 last year, Human Rights Watch secretary Sangita Swain had moved the NHRC for its intervention which later transferred the case to the OHRC asking action in accordance with law.
The petitioner alleged that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) nailing the State Government for not providing drinking water to human being and live-stocks both in rural and urban areas, but providing water to industrial organisation without executing any agreements for the purpose and no penal cess was imposed on them, thereby a sum of Rs9,503.31 crore remained uncollected due to inaction and unlawful action of the public authority and their failure to adhere the Odisha Irrigation Act 1995 and water policy of the State, violates the human rights.
The OHRC directed the Water Resources Principal Secretary to conduct an inquiry into the complaint of the petitioner and take appropriate action at his level.