The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued fresh reminder to the Odisha Chief Secretary to submit a report on the displacement of residents of some villages in Keonjhar district for the Kanpur Irrigation Project.

The NHRC directed to submit the requisite report within six weeks positively failing which the commission would be constrained to invoke its coercive powers under Section 13 of PHR Act. 1993.

The commission passed the order as the Chief  Secretary failed to file the action taken report (ATR) on the issue of demolition of thousands of houses and  larges-cale displacement of poor, ST, SC and other villagers in Murusuan, Chamakpur, Ravenshawpur(A) and Ravenshawpur(B), Birkala, Govindpur  and other villages in Keonjhar district.

The NHRC passed the order acting on the petition filed by rights activist and lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy the NHRC.

The matter pertains to the displacement of around 5,000 families on account of the Kanpur irrigation project.

Notably, earlier the NHRC had investigated the issue investigated by its Special Rapporteur in 2018 on a petition filed by Tripathy. The State Government had assured to carry out the recommendation of the commission in letter and spirit. But there are certain gaps in the promises by the State and ground realities,

The displaced families are forced to live under the open sky on account of failure on part of district administration to conduct proper survey resulting into deprivation of basic necessities of life to them, said Tripathy.

 Pursuant to the notice of the NHRC, a letter was received from the State Home Department, which was an internal communication asking the Water Resource Secretary for submitting ATR in the matter, he pointed out to the commission.