Tuesday 7 February 2012

Odisha HR Bulletin-9


Police asked to probe interpolation of station diary

The High Court has directed the Bhubaneswar DCP to conduct an enquiry into a prima facie interpolation of station diary of Chandrasekharpur police station which was recorded in July 2008 pertaining to arrest of animal lover Sanjib Das by Cuttack police while protesting against illegal transportation of cattle. The direction came while adjudicating a contempt of court proceeding filed by Das, secretary of People for Animal. The Bench of Justice M.M. Das has asked the DCP to conduct a factual enquiry as the station diary was found tampered with an additional sentence differing with the original one. While the HC has fixed the contempt of court application to be decided on February 29, the DCP has been asked to file his report before that.
According to report, Das on July 26, 2008 had informed the Cuttack police regarding illegal transportation of cattle following which the police had seized the vehicle in which the cattle were transported dangerously. The police however, allowed the accused in the case to escape and instead arrested Das for reasons best known to them.
Das however, had objected to his arrest and approached the HC complaining that his arrest was not made in accordance to guidelines set by the Supreme Court. While hearing the case of Das, the HC had directed the police to submit the station diary of the matter as Das' arrest was not intimated to his family members staying under Chandrasekhar PS in Bhubaneswar in proper format as was required.

Gangrape: Parties train guns on SCW chairperson

BHUBANESWAR: Chairperson of the State Commission for Women (SCW) Jyoti Panigrahi has come in the firing line of various political parties after she submitted the report on the Pipili gangrape case to the State Government. On Saturday, the parties sought her resignation, nothing less.
The Odisha Pradesh Mahila Congress (OPMC), the CPI, the CPM, the Forward Bloc, the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) have said if Panigrahi did not resign, the Governor should dismiss her.
Addressing a media conference here on Saturday, president of the State Mahila Congress Bijaylaxmi Sahu asked how did Panigrahi come to the conclusion in the report that the allegation of sexual assault did not arise. Describing her as an agent of the BJD, Sahu said when the inquiry by the Crime Branch and the judicial probe are yet to be over, how did the SCW chairperson jump to such a conclusion.
 Sahu said if Panigrahi did not put in her papers, the Mahila Congress will submit a memorandum to Governor Murlidhar Chandrakant Bhandare demanding her dismissal. She threatened that the Mahila Congress will also stage a demonstration in front of the office of the SCW on Tuesday, demanding Panigrahi’s resignation.
 In a joint statement, State CPI secretary Dibakar Nayak, his CPM counterpart  Janardan Pati, president of the State Forward Bloc Santosh Mitra, RJD State president Harish Mohapatra and SP State president Rabi Behera have alleged that the SCW chairperson has acted as an ‘advocate’ of the State Government.
 In her report, the SCW chairperson had said that she perused the xerox copy of the FIR and found no allegation of sexual assault on the girl nor was name of any accused person in the report.
 As per the FIR, relatives of the alleged victim found her lying half-naked in an unconscious state in a paddy field, Panigrahi said. A ligature mark of injury on the neck had been mentioned in the FIR. But the word rashi (rope) had been struck out, she added.
 Panigrahi said the medical reports of the Capital Hospital and the SCB Medical  disclosed that injury in the neck was caused by partial hanging. So the allegation of sexual assault did not arise and even she was not given any kind of treatment for that ‘assault’ till December 14, she added.
 The SCW chief said surprisingly the guardians of the alleged victim remained silent about the incident from December 14 to January 7 without any justification. But all of a sudden they tried to approach many forums on January 7, she said.

Headmaster held for molesting Dalit student

A school headmaster was arrested on the charges of misbehaving with a minor Dalit girl in a residential school in Badampahad area of Mayurbhanj district.  Bhandan Sevashram headmaster Krupasindhu Dalai (45) has been produced in the court and remanded in judicial custody on Sunday.
Police said Dalai, a native of Bahugram village under Udala police limits, allegedly molested the 13-year-old girl who is a student of Class VII. He, however, let her go when the cook of the school spotted him and raised an alarm.
 A case was registered against the headmaster following the complaint of the girl. As soon as the news spread, tension ran high in the area as the locals besieged the school demanding dismissal of the headmaster and stringent action against him. They were pacified after the local  officials assured them to look into the safety of the students. 

JSPL-hit call Bandh Tuesday

ANGUL: People of the JSPL-affected villagers have called a dawn-to-dusk bandh on Tuesday demanding immediate fulfilment of their 20-point charter of demands.  Expressing dissatisfaction over the decisions taken at the tripartite meeting on Friday, the villagers under the aegis of Praja Sangh took the bandh decision on Sunday. “We stick to our guns and the Sangh has rejected the decisions taken at Friday’s meeting,” said Sanatan Sahu, the secretary of the Sangh.
  Sahu was critical that no help came in the way of the injured villagers even after 13 days since the violence broke out on the plant premises.
 Even as the JSPL authorities have been publicly offering to help the injured villagers and bear all their expenses, help of any kind is yet to reach the affected villagers.
 The people alleged that lack of administrative will had resulted in the deadlock as a result of which, hundreds of villagers, including women, have been suffering.
 Meanwhile, the company on Sunday deposited ` 10 lakh with the local Sub-Collector for  treatment of the injured villagers, said JSPL Executive Director Rajesh Jha. Another ` 5 lakh will also be released for the purpose.
 The company, in a release, claimed that it followed the State Rehabilitation Policy of 2006 in ‘letter and spirit’ for providing jobs to the land oustees and the completely displaced families. It assured people to give them more employment opportunities as and when project works progress. It also assured to provide job cards within three months with the help of district administration.
 On the land acquisition, the company said the matter was settled in 2008 as per the State Government’s rule and the decision of the Rehabilitation and Peripheral Development Advisory Committee.
 The company also offered to engage in more talks with the people as agreed to in the last tripartite meeting to sort out the remaining issues.

NHRC to investigate 'custody death'
BHUBANESWAR: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked its investigation wing to inquire into the alleged police custodial death of a 50-year-old man in Balasore district last year.
Ajay Kumar Biswal of Bankipada village underNilagiri Police limit was found dead in a paddy field near his house on November 24, a day after he was picked up by police for interrogation in connection with a petty case. His family members alleged he died in police custody at Iswarpur police outpost and his body was later thrown in the paddy field.
Akhand, a human rights activist from Puri, moved the NHRC on November 30, seeking fair probe, action against the guilty cops and compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the victim's family. "The commission admitted my petition and entrusted its DG (investigation) to inquire into the matter," Akhand told media persons.
Balasore SP Rajesh Kumar denied Biswal was tortured and died in police custody. "Though he was brought to police station for interrogation in a crime, he was not at all tortured. There was no custodial death. He was safely released soon after interrogation the same day," Kumar told TOI, expressing ignorance about the exact cause of Biswal's death.
10 tribal girls rescued from Bengaluru
KORAPUT: At least 10 minor tribal girls fromMalkangiri district were rescued from Bengaluru by a special police squad from Odisha on Tuesday.
The rescued girls, in the age-group of 12 to 18, belong to Maoist-hit Nalagunthi, Telrai and Sudhakonda villages of the district under M V 79.
Sources said the girls had been taken to Karnataka on January 12 by two men, who promised them jobs in Bengaluru with good income. One of them, identified as Balaya, from Bhadrachalam in Andhra Pradesh, has been arrested by Bengaluru railway police. The other man, identified as Suba Rao from Guntur in the same state, managed to escape, police said.
IIC (Malkangiri) Ram Krushna Pati said, "The agents had convinced the parents of the girls of better income at Bengaluru and a high standard of living. At the Bengaluru railway station, members of a voluntary organization suspected some foul play, and sought help from railway police to rescue the minor girls."
"The rescued girls were kept at a short stay home in Bengaluru. A special squad of district police brought them back, and they have been sent to the district's children welfare committee, for rehabilitation," he added.
Sources said the incident is just a tip of an ice-berg. "In many Maoist-hit areas of the district, parents often send their daughters to work in distant places, out of fear that they may be forced by the Maoists to join their organization," a social activist in Malkangiri said. "Traffickers are cashing in on the situation," he added.
Admitting the existence of such rackets, a senior police officer in the district said, "It's true that parents here prefer to send their children to distant places, to keep them away from the Maoists' clutch. Though it is very difficult to have a total check on this practice as the children travel with agents without informing the administration, we take action whenever we receive such complaints."

HC finds fault with RD selection


 http://www.orissapost.com/23766/Orissa-Post/Volume-1-Issue-300-Tuesday-January-31-2012#page/3/2

Hari Krishna sitting in middle flanked by Praveen Patel of Tribal Welfare Society & Manoj  Jena of HRF

PRESS RELEASE


HC orders rehab for over 1500 bonded labourers

Baghambar Pattnaik & Manoj Jena in Press Meet
The fight to abolish the obnoxious practice of "bonded labour" in Odisha has received a boost. The Orissa high court recently directed the collectors of Puri, Khurda, Cuttack and Jagatsinghpur districts to identify, release and rehabilitate 1,585 lower caste people forced to render services to their upper caste counterparts. The court has set a three-month deadline for the collectors. 



The January 18 order followed a petition by human rights activist Baghambar Pattnaik in April 2011. The petitioner had alleged that the administration of the four districts had neglected to implement a 2008 National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) order to abolish the bonded labour system. 

Pattnaik said the "landmark judgment" would herald a much-needed social change in Odisha and other states vulnerable to the caste-based practice. "I have sent copies of the judgment to the district collectors. Let us hope that they would now swing into action and start the rehabilitation process soon," said Pattnaik, who has been waging a decade-long battle for ending 
the practice a decade ago. The state has around five lakh bonded labourers, he added. 

"We have addressed the issue of bonded labour several times in the past. We would abide by the high court order and soon start the identification process of the bonded labourers," a 
Puri district official said. 

In December 2011, the Puri district administration had distributed "release certificates" to 17 men from the barber caste in Bramhagiri area following an NHRC directive. The 17 men were bound by the local practice of Bartan. It mandated the men to wash the feet of guests during social functions in villages in lieu of about 15 kg of paddy per annum. 

As per the law, each person was given Rs 1,000, along with the certificate and Rs 19,000 later by the government for their rehabilitation. However, Pattnaik alleged that some of those "released" men were still being treated as bonded labourers by upper caste villagers. 

Pattanaik added: "As many as 2,88,098 debt-bonded labourers in the country were identified, released and rehabilitated by March 31, 2009. The highest was in Tamilnadu (65,573), followed by Karnataka (63,437 identified, 57,185 rehabilitated) and Odisha (50,029 identified, 46,901 rehabilitated)."

Saturday 4 February 2012

Odisha HR Bulletin-8


Boy loses sole hand, leg in train accident

In yet another proactive role to encourage the use of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) as an important tool in redressing the plight of poor people, the Orissa High Court on Friday converted a letter-petition into a PIL and directed the State Government to provide free treatment to a physically-handicapped boy, who lost one of his legs and his only hand in a train mishap on Thursday.
Pravakar Pradhan (10) of Raghunathpur in Jagatsinghpur district had lost his left arm due to severe burn injuries when he was only two years old. He lost his father when he was six-year-old. But thanks to his strong determination, he was shouldering the responsibility of his family of old mother and a younger brother by begging in trains.
However, as ill-luck would have it, he was allegedly pushed from a running train on Thursday afternoon and he was critically injured in his right hand and right leg. Doctors at the SCB Medical College Hospital here, where he was shifted on Thursday night, had his injured limbs amputated on Friday fearing gangrene.
When the boy’s plight was brought to the notice of the High Court through the petition filed by Nationalist Lawyers’ Forum secretary Nishikant Mishra, a division Bench of Justice BP Das and BK Nayak expressed deep concern for the boy.
The HC directed the Cuttack district Collector to personally supervise the treatment of the boy in the hospital at Government cost. The HC also directed the Jagatsinghpur SP and Railway SP to investigate into the mishap and submit a report to the court by February 13.
Meanwhile, the hospital authorities pointed out that a team of doctors comprising surgeons and orthopedics is attending to the boy and he is provided free medicines. His clinical examinations are also being done free of coat by the hospital,” said hospital Superintendent DN Moharana.
According to some eyewitnesses, the boy actually slipped from the Paradeep-Palasa DMU near the Gorakhnathpur station as he stepped on a banana peel while boarding the train. But other reports said the boy was allegedly pushed from the running train by a cucumber vendor. His right leg came under the wheels of the train while his right hand was badly damaged as it came between the steps of the bogey and edge of the platform.
Youth moves OHRC over police torture
BHUBANESWAR: An employee of a city-based automobile showroom on Thursday filed a petition before the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) alleging custodial torture by the commissionerate police. Pravat Kumar Sahoo, in his petition, said police grievously assaulted him in detention suspecting his involvement in the Rs 12 lakh loot on January 25.
Sahoo said the Rs 12 lakh of the automobile showroom was looted from him by unidentified bike-borne men near Satsang Vihar within Saheed Nagar police limits when he was going to deposit the money in a bank in Bapuji Nagar by car. The car was being driven by a driver. "But after we reported the matter to police, they suspected my involvement," said Sahoo, who had joined the showroom in Mancheswar area two months ago.
Fast by teacher held for attack on minister
BHUBANESWAR: A 53-year-old schoolteacher, arrested in connection with the recent attack onpanchayati raj minister Maheswar Mohanty, started an indefinite fast on Thursday inside the Puri district jail claiming he had been falsely implicated in the case.
Bhubanananda Sarangi, headmaster of Pratap Purusottampur High School in Chandanpur, was arrested a day after Mohanty was attacked at an election meeting in Puri district on Monday evening. Sarangi is the father of Kali Prasad Sarangi, the Youth Congress president of Brahmagiri constituency, where Mohanty was attacked. Kali Prasad, who is also an accused in the case, has not been arrested yet.
"The school teacher was framed in the case just because he was the father of a Congress activist. In stead of arresting the real culprits, police picked up the teacher. Hence, he has started a fast protesting against police action," Sarangi's lawyer Priyadarshan Pattnaik said. Incidentally, the BJD has held the Congress responsible for the attack, much to the latter's denial. The Congress ascribed the attack to BJD "infighting".
Puri district jail superintendent (in-charge) Rabindranath Swain said Sarangi was hell-bent against taking food since morning. "We tried our best to feed him, but in vain. We have informed our higher authorities - the district collector, the SP and the local court," Swain added.
"We are closely monitoring his health conditions. Doctors are present in the jail," Swain added. Sarangi had not ended his fast till evening.
Earlier, police had arrested the main accused in the case, Baladhadra Bhoi, who had attacked Mohanty with an iron rod. He was nabbed at the spot itself. Based on the complaint of the husband of a local BJD zilla parishad candidate, police had booked seven persons, including Bhoi and Sarangi, in connection with the attack. Some of the accused are relatives of Congress-backed candidates for the panchayat elections, sources said.
"Our inquiry is on. Other culprits would be arrested soon," Puri SP Anup Kumar Sahoo told TOI. He, however, refused to comment on the motive of the attack.
Meanwhile, some locals smelt a revenge angle in the incident. Sources said one of the accused (not arrested yet) was in the BJD until recently, before he joined the Congress, after his wife was denied a BJD ticket to contest as a zila parishad candidate.
"When he sought an explanation from Mohanty in a meeting as to why his wife was denied ticket, Mohanty's supporters tried to suppress him. We suspect he might have been the mastermind behind the attack," a villager said. His wife is now contesting as a Congress zila parishad candidate from the locality, sources said.

Koraput district jail a killing field for prisoners, says tribal outfit leader
KORAPUT: Jailed Chasi Muliya Adivasi Sangh(CMAS) advisor Gananath Patra has alleged massive irregularities in Koraput district jail.
Patra, who is in the jail as an undertrial prisoner since 2010 for his alleged involvement in a series of offensives executed by the Maoist-backed tribal outfit in the district, said at least 25 inmates have died in the jail in the past four years due to negligence of jail authorities.
"The inmates are supplied with poor quality rice at the jail. The cooked rice served to the inmates is not eatable. Unable to eat, most of the inmates throw the rice," Patra said during his appearance at a Jeypore court on Wednesday.
According to the Sangh leader, though the jail authorities engage inmates in growing vegetables on the jail premises, the vegetables are never used in the food prepared for the inmates. "Jail authorities earn handsomely by selling the vegetables grown in the jail but never cook it for the inmates. The inmates are served with inferior quality food," he said.
Sources said, against a given strength of 657, over 700 inmates are housed in the jail at any given point in time. Partra alleged medical attention is not provided to the inmates living in overcrowded conditions.
"Timely medical attention is not provided to the inmates due to non-availability of doctors. Jail authorities always ignore ailing inmates till their condition becomes serious. They always shift inmates in serious condition to the district headquarters hospital where the patients rarely survive. Jail authorities always try to suppress the matter, citing the reason of the deaths as cardiac arrest," he said.
Koraput jail superintendent Brahmananda Sahu, however, brushed off Patra's allegations, saying, "The allegations brought by the Sangh leader are baseless. We receive the rice served to the inmates from the government and the menu prepared by the state government for the inmates is strictly followed in the jail." He added, "As the regular doctor of the jail is on leave, another doctor has been appointed to look after the inmates' health."

Pipili case: SCW questions role of cops, doctors


BHUBANESWAR: The State Commission for Women (SCW) has raised serious questions about the role of police as well as doctors in the Pipili gangrape case. In her report which was submitted to the State Government on Thursday, Commission Chairperson Dr Jyoti Panigrahy has questioned how the local police did not think it proper to investigate a case which was prima facie that of partial hanging.
 She also submitted a copy of the report to Member-Secretary of National Commission for Women Anita Agnihotri who is in the State to inquire into the incident. Sources said the SCW wondered why the Pipili police did not investigate and what exactly happened to the complaint which was lodged by the family of the 19-year-old girl. Initially, there was no clarity on whether the police had registered the complaint and what action was initiated which led to a series of events later, the report suggested.
 Panigrahy’s report also pointed a finger at the doctors who first examined the victim after the November 29 incident. Since it was a clear case of partial hanging, the doctor at Pipili as well as Capital Hospital should have adhered to the existing norms. As per the legal provisions, any such case should have prompted the doctors to consider it a medico legal case (MLC) and informed the police. This, however, was overlooked and instead the victim was referred from one place to another.
 “Had the doctors taken view of the case as an MLC, the police would have no option but to investigate since there would have been documentary evidence but it was not followed,” the report suggested. In fact, neither Pipili Hospital nor the Capital Hospital followed any such procedure.
 The report also took exception to the manner the victim who was first admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital before being discharged. “On December 14, the female was discharged by the SCB authorities without making any advice for further treatment. Ideally, they should have prescribed the family about the future course of action in medication,” the report said.
 Panigrahy’s report also was critical about the family which did nothing between December 14 and January 7 and kept the girl at home. Had they been proactive and taken up the matter with any of the rights panel, the girl would have got better attention.
 The SCB Medical also came in for criticism since the girl was initially given a cold shoulder after the State Women’s Commission arranged the victim’s admission at Capital Hospital before she was shifted her to Cuttack on January 7. The same day, she was refused admission since the neurology outdoor was closed while the family took her to pulmonary medicine. Once the SCW came to know about the situation, it took up the matter with the SCB authorities.

Jindal's conciliatory efforts make headway


Accepts 13 demands of villagers, which includes meeting medical expenses of those injured in clash
The Angul district administration and authorities of Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) on Friday made a conciliatory effort to pacify villagers who were incensed over the issue of employment and compensation.
At a meeting held at DRDA conference hall at Angul, members of Birankeswr Shilpanchal Khyatigrastha Prajasangha (BSKP) presented the 20-point charter of demands.
Company authorities were said to have agreed to accept 13 demands such as bearing medical expenses of villagers injured in the clash with JSPL security personnel on January 25 and ensuring 90 per cent representation of local people in the semi-skilled and unskilled jobs. Villagers boycotted the previous meeting when district magistrates instructed mediapersons to wait outside the meeting hall.
Despite a significant breakthrough in the impasse that had been continuing for more than a fortnight now, villagers refused to leave the agitation place outside the main gate of the JSPL's facility at Angul.
Sanatan Sahu, secretary of BSKP, said: “We will not compromise on any of our demands. The district administration has convened the next meeting on February 19 just after the panchayat election. We will make sure that all our demands are met.”
Contentious issue
There had been no unanimity on the demand for compensation of Rs. 50 lakh per acre of land acquired by the company. The JSPL acquired 3789.98 acres of land at Angul, the bulk share of the land measuring 2819.64 acres had come from farmers.
Meanwhile, Member Secretary of the National Commission for Women Anita Agnihotri visited Angul hospital where many were admitted after being injured in the clash.
The State Commission for Women also expressed concern over the matter and directed Angul Superintendent of Police to initiate action against persons responsible for heinous act. CPI(M) workers took out a rally protesting against the attack on displaced people.

Wednesday 1 February 2012

Odisha HR Bulletin-7


Murdered girl’s father approaches Rights Panel

BHUBANESWAR: Niranjan Patra, father of the girl who was allegedly kidnapped and killed near a village under Chandanpur police station limits in Puri district, on Tuesday approached the Orissa Human Rights Commission (OHRC) seeking justice and arrest of the culprits.

The girl was allegedly kidnapped on March 26, 2011 and a FIR was filed in the night. The police filed a case against unknown persons the next day on charges of kidnapping. The body of the girl was found on March 29, 2011 near Malisahi village. Patra alleged that though the body had several injury marks, the fact was missing in both the police inquest and the postmortem reports.

Patra alleged that though 10 months had elapsed, the culprits are yet to be nabbed because of their close association with Panchayati Raj Minister Maheswar Mohanty.

8 convicted in Kandhamal riots case

PHULBANI: A  fast-track court at Phulbani has convicted eight persons for their  involvement in the 2008 Kandhamal riots case. Belonging to Raibhanja village under Tikabali police limits, they were sentenced to five-year rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 5,000 each.

They were involved in torching the houses of Christians of the same village during the riots. The riots occurred in Kandhamal in the aftermath of the killing of VHP leader Lakshmanananda Saraswati at the Jalespata Ashram on August 23, 2008. 

JSPL attack: OHRC intervention sought
BHUBANESWAR: Members of various civil society organizations sought the intervention of Orissa Human Rights Commission (OHRC) on Tuesday to ensure justice for around 200 people who were injured in an alleged attack by security guards of a private company in Angul.
The members took out a protest rally to OHRC and submitted a petition saying security guards of Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) attacked hundreds of people on January 25 when they went to the company office to present their demands. The injured included residents of 40 villages, who were affected by the JSPL project in Angul.
Tension had erupted when the villagers were demonstrating near Kaliakata gate of the steel plant last Tuesday, demanding jobs and proper rehabilitation in the project when the security personnel of JSPL chased them. The villagers and security personnel pelted stones on each other, leading to a brawl.
In their petition to the OHRC, civil society members said the company's 'hooliganism' and the 'silence' of the administration has made life of poor people affected by the project unsafe. They sought the commission's intervention to ensure people's safety and proper treatment of the injured.
Those who lost their land to the project were not getting proper compensation and were frustrated of approaching the company time and again to no avail, the petition said.
Most people injured in the incident have been simply lying in the verandah of the Angul district headquarter hospital and are not receiving proper treatment. The injured include at least 50women, the petition pointed out.
Lokshakti Abhiyan president Prafulla Samantaray, who visited some of the injured in the Angul district hospital and participated in Tuesday's rally, said there is an urgent need to ensure proper medical care to them.
"They have been beaten up mercilessly on their lower limbs and back. It appears to be a planned attack by the security guards," he said.
Speaking to reporters about the situation in Angul, chief secretary B K Patnaik said the district collector has been told to take steps to bring normalcy in the area.
"Bringing normalcy also includes compensation and rehabilitation of the affected. We will see if the company had followed the cabinet decision and properly compensated the people," he said.

State moves to take action against those involved in illegal land deal

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-otherstates/article2836203.ece

The State government has held an enquiry against Bikash Kujur, former Sub-Registrar of Patnagarh in Bolangir district, for his role in alleged irregularities committed in recording of hundreds of acres of land in favour of 10 fake companies in a fraudulent manner.
About 358 acres in Bolangir was acquired by nine companies from New Delhi and one from Agra using dubious means in the name of Jatropha cultivation. Gullible farmers had handed over their land to companies under the impression that they were leasing out the properties in early 2000. But later they reportedly discovered that their signatures were taken in sale deed.
When hue and cry was made by people, the State government had ordered an inquiry with the Revenue Divisional Commissioner. But no action was taken based on the recommendations of the RDC. Last year when the RDC report was obtained in exercise of RTI Act, the issue came to the fore again. People demanded action as RDC had then clearly found fraudulent transaction of land.
Direction was issued to inquire and verify if lands were recorded at prices below the market value and charges should be framed against Sub Registrar and District Sub Registrar concerned if there was any truth. Mr. Kujur, who is now working as District Sub-Registrar, Kalahandi at Bhawanipatna, will face the departmental proceeding for committing irregularities and misconduct during his tenure as Sub-Registrar, Patnagarh, under rule-15 of Orissa Civil Service Rules, 1962. The senior revenue official has been directed to submit written statement of defence within 30 days from the date of receipt of this memorandum if he desires to be heard in person. “If Mr. Kujur fails to submit his representation within the stipulated period of 30 days from the date of receipt of this memorandum, it will be presumed that, he has no explanation to offer and action will be taken as deemed proper ex-parte,” Revenue and Disaster Department order says.
358 acres in Bolangir was acquired by nine companies from New Delhi and one from Agra

Villagers threaten to halt plant operation at JSPL, Angul

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-therstates/article2842033.ece

Villagers submit 20-point charter of demands to district Magistrate
Thousands of villagers on Saturday threatened to prevent Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) authorities from operating the steel plant at Angul if their 20-point charter of demands were not fulfilled.
Tension continued to mount around the plant site after the violent clash between villagers and security personnel engaged by JSPL on Wednesday last. Since then villagers have been picketing at different locations to press their demands.
A joint committee of villagers, who lost their land for making way for mega steel plant in their vicinity, submitted 20-point charter of demands to Additional District Magistrate. Agitators threatened of dire consequences if the district administration failed to solve the problem within 30 days.
They were demanding compensation of Rs. 50 lakh per acre of land, proper rehabilitation of the displaced villagers and pension for elderly villagers. District Bar Association has lent support to the agitating villagers.
Demands ignored
“The administration has remained silent all through turbulent period. Villagers' just demands have been ignored for months together. Finally the brewing resentment burst into a bigger conflict. The company instead of admitting its fault launched attack on villagers,” said Amarnath Pradhan, local Member of Parliament.
Mr. Pradhan said the company ignored local people while providing employment (direct and indirect).
On Saturday, representatives of different political parties rushed to Angul to console the beaten-up villagers.
The JSPL has proposed to set up six million tonne per annum steel plant on 3,789.98 acres of land at Angul. Of the total land, the company acquired 2,819.64 acres from individuals. The company has recently requested the State government to extend validity of MoU for another three years.
The company had signed MoU with the State government on November 3, 2005 promising to complete the project within five years. Subsequently, the validity of MoU was extended to November 2, 2011.
However, the company was accused to have not respected the employment guidelines which say priority should be given to local people. According to statistics presented in the State Legislative Assembly, candidates from outside State have outnumbered local people in direct employment provided by the company.

Collectors asked to undertake mapping on anganwadi coverage

District magistrates have been asked to undertake mapping to verify all habitations including brick kilns, paddy fields, construction sites and sugarcane fields are covered under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).
After Union government asked the State government to put forward proposals for ‘anganwadi on demand', the State government has moved to survey habitations.
According to guidelines, the rural communities or slum dwellers will be entitled to an ‘anganwadi on demand' in case a settlement has at least 40 children under six, but no anganwadi.District magistrates have been asked to furnish proposals to set up ‘anganwadis on demand'.
The Centre has expressed concerns that vulnerable population including migrant labourers are not getting benefits of ICDS.
As of now 71,134 anganwadis have been sanctioned in the State. Of which 67,501 anganwadis are in operation. About 24,81,470 children below the age of three years have been covered under Anganwadi centres. Children aged between three to six years have got the benefits under the scheme.
The State has a number of scattered habitations those lack anganwadi centres. Besides, thousands of migrant labourers from western Odisha districts move from one place to another with their family members to work in brick kilns and other earthen work.
After parents go to workplace, children are left behind in huts.

Justice Solicited against the Brutal Attack of Jindal Company


To
The Chairperson
National Human Rights Commission
New Delhi

Hon'ble Sir,
On 25th January 2012 around 4 thousand unarmed men and women went to Jindal Steel Plant, Angul district in Odisha to demand a justified compensation for the land forcibly grabbed from them and also to demand jobs which was promise to them both by the Company and Odisha Government. When the procession arrived in the factory security guard of the Jindal Steel Company and hired goons brutally attacked men and women especially women who were in the front against the struggle. The barbaric scene is difficult to explain to in words. In front of a large posse of police the hired goons in the security guards of Company attacked them with iron rods and stick. More than 200 men and women became seriously injured and admitted in the  Angul district Hospital and some of them were shifted to SCB medical college, Cutack, without any assistance or help of the govt. Many injured women are not in the hospital being feared. Now they are in their homes without medical treatments many of them are now admitted in SCB Medical College, Cuttack and different hospitals in Angul. Women were beaten ruthlessly with iron rods their cloths were torn, they were bleeding profusely, the bestiality of the goons reached most shocking and appalling limits when some of them inserted iron rods into the private parts of the women. There is nothing much to say after this about the great proclamation of Odisha Chief Minister about the so called great peaceful industrialization of Odisha. When an FIR was lodged the local police station, none of the senior executive of the company including the CEO was arrested except the token arrest of the security officer. This incident is a horrifying indicator of the growing state and corporate attacks on peaceful mass movement of Odisha. 

 The heinous attack by Jindal company is a conspiracy with Dist administration to suppress the voice of the displaced people to not to fight for their right to life and livelihood.

More than 15 thousand people have been displaced for Jindal Steel and Power Ltd. company in Angul Dist. of Odisha in last 5 years. The Govt of Odisha had suppressed the anti-displacement movement at the beginning, People had opposed in the public hearing conducted by the State Pollution control Board and managed by the dist. administration. Though the officials had declared that another public hearing would be done, but it did not take place. The first hearing was manipulated and fabricated by which the company got environment clearance, Practically four thousand acres of land were acquired by the govt for the company by using police force as well as alluring high payment or compensation and employment guarantee. But after acquisition of land, the displaced people are being betrayed and left un-employed without source of livelihood. Now the company have grabbed another 5000 acres of forest land destroying more than 4 laks of Sal tree without any clearance

We demand immediate arrest of the CEO and other senior executive of Jindal Steel Plant registering criminal case against them , dismissal and trial of all the policemen, who was present during this inhuman shameful incident including SP of the district and demanding justified compensation, rehabilitation and permanent employment.

We are hopeful the hon'ble commission will take appropriate action on the above said demands.

With sincere regards

Manoj Jena
Convenor
Human Rights Front [HRF]
298,Ganga Nagar,Unit-VI, Bhubaneswar-01, Odisha
Ph.No- +91-674-2595973,094371 78921
Email : humanrightsfront.india@gmail.com
Blog : www.humanrightsfrontindia.blogspot.com
Webpage: www.humanrightsfront.org