Taking a serious note of the fact that as many as 161 ST girls of the Bhaluguda Sevashram in Malkangiri district had left hostel due to hunger and denial of adequate standard of living, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday directed the State Government to pay Rs 1.61 lakh to the 161 students as compensation.
The incident had happened in 2013. The commission directed the Chief Secretary to pay the compensation at the rate of Rs 1,000) to each student within six weeks.
Global Human Rights Communication executive director Subash Mohapatra had moved the commission seeking justice for the minor tribal girls.
“Non-availability of proper food and denial of adequate standard of living in the Bhaluguda Sevashram has violated the right to life, and it is a grave violation of human rights of 161 girl students of the Government-run hostel for tribal girls; and, therefore, the commission recommends a sum of Rs 1,000 each to be paid to each of the 161 girls,” the NHRC order read.