The Manav Adhikar Surakhya Manch in its 81st Ghanta Yatra (cymbal beating rally) on Monday demanded healthcare services for the affected families of the chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cancer caused due to the monazite mining by the Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL) in Chhatrapur.
The Manch in a memorandum to the Ganjam district Collector addressed to the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik mentioned that many human rights activists and locals since 2015 have been alleging that due to the mining of the IREL more than 200 people have been affected and more than 70 have due to the CKD.
But neither the district administration nor the State Government has taken any remarkable step in the matter, the Manch further pointed out.
Manch coordinator Abani Kumar Gaya demanded all services to the affected people through CSR funds, Rs 20 lakh assistance to the kin of the people, who have died through the disease, providing drinking water facilities in the affected villages till the mining process is completed, planting trees in areas and banning the mining process to save polluted water, land, forest due to the process.
