Kendrapara: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has recently warned of action against the Chief Secretary of Orissa and deputed a special rapporteur to investigate the large-scale displacement of families due to the implementation of the Kanpur Project on the Baitarani river in Keonjhar district.
Taking serious note of an earlier petition and subsequent submissions filed by rights activist and lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy, the NHRC sought a report within four weeks. The order has been communicated to the authorities.
As per the NHRC report, a complaint dated September 9, 2015 was lodged in which the complainant, Tripathy, alleged that more than 3,000 families including poor farmers and those belonging to the scheduled castes and tribes, and backward castes, were forcibly displaced and lost their land and homes due to the implementation of Kanpur Irrigation Project at Basudevpur, Keonjhar.
Tripathy had alleged that the report submitted by the state authority is eyewash. The report is silent on Rehabilitation and Peripheral Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) meetings and the number of people yet to be settled. Lack of basic infrastructure and the bare necessities of life are the reality in the area where the poverty-stricken tribal and Dalit villagers will be homeless and forced to die without food, shelter, livelihood, etc.
No comprehensive report has been prepared with regard to land acquisition as per applicable law, rehabilitation and resettlement of the villagers as per policy, and the status of bare necessities of life.
After considering the report of the collector and district magistrate, Keonjhar, NHRC, through proceedings dated November 23, 2016, considered the material placed on record and asked the Chief Secretary, Government of Orissa, to conduct a fresh enquiry on the complaint by a senior revenue officer, and had directed the officer to report in eight weeks, in the light of the comments of the complainant. PNN