NHRC rap
for atrocities on SCs
BHUBANESWAR: The National Human
Rights Commission on
Monday took a swipe at the state government for its inept handling of cases
relating to atrocities on Scheduled Caste people in the state.
The NHRC member, Satyabrat Pal, made the observation of
Odisha's poor show in safeguarding the interest of the SC people in an open
hearing at Puri. Nearly 300 people from different parts of the state thronged
to express their grievances.
"The state government did not show enough sensitivity
to address the plight of the SCs. Even the last year's
CAG report had severely criticized state's poor
handling of cases," Pal told TOI at
Bhubaneswar.
Shortly after wrapping up the open hearing at Puri, Pal held discussions with
several voluntary organizations at
Bhubaneswar
in the evening.
At the open hearing, first of its kind in Odisha, Pal
received a flurry of complaints against state police and district collectors
for failing to provide justice to the SCs. The victims, mostly bonded
labourers, narrated their plight at the hands of police, who work
hand-in-gloves with their tormentors (upper caste people).
"Police scared us away when we approached them for
help. We faced social boycott recently. Our life had not improved till
today," said Kelu Sethi, a complainant from Puri's Brahmagiri area, where
the retrograde practice of bonded labour and untouchability is at its peak.
While the commission heard 72 cases, he accepted the
complaints of around 200 other people for consideration. "We will analyze
and seek reports from the state government," Pal said.
At Bhubaneswar,
the commission member was apprised of the sensational Pipili rape incident. The
Dalit girl's brother narrated his sister's plight and sought assistance. The
commission said it cannot interfere at this point of time as the case is
already being inquired by the National Commission for Scheduled Caste, sources
said
.
Like the open hearing session, Pal received lots for
complaints against the state government and police from various NGOs he
interacted with at Bhubaneswar.
"The government failed to address the issues of the Scheduled Castes. The
commission should take action against the erring government employees,"
Prafulla Samantaray, a human rights activist said.
Pal is scheduled to visit the proposed
Posco site in Jagatsinghpur district on
Tuesday. He will visit Balangir district on April 11 and meet senior state
government officials, including chief secretary and DGP on April 12.
Homoeopathy
students move state rights panel
In their petition signed by 19 students, the
students said the matter came to light on March 24 when one of the students, B
G R Nayak, met with a road accident. "Just when a medicine was being
administered to him, I noticed that its expiry date was long gone. Moreover, it
was an allopathic formulation though ours is a homoeopathic hospital,"
said Nayak. Nayak also pointed out "callousness" of the doctors in
diagnosing him as the hospital mentioned in medical reports that he had an
injury on his thumb, whereas he had actually injured his left toe.
The students contended that if there were such
glaring mistakes in the treatment of one of the students, the case must have
been worse with general public.
In the petition, the homoeopaths mentioned that
the college principal had sought three days' time from March 26 to inquire into
the matter. The deadline expired on Thursday.
They further said though it was a model college,
academic standards were very low owing to inadequate teaching staff. When they
staged peaceful protests seeking appointment of faculty members, they were
issued warning letters with false charges, the students alleged.
Nayak, who is also the students' union general
secretary, said the hospital lacks even basic things such as cotton wool and
first aid material.
Principal P K Behera, when contacted, said a
three-member committee is inquiring into the alleged use of expired allopathic
medicine in the hospital. The committee would submit their findings to the
Director, Indian System of Medicine, soon.
10-yr jail
for man who forced fatal illegal abortion
BALASORE: A local court has sentenced a man to 10 years'
rigorous imprisonment for carrying out illegal
abortion of his wife leading
to her death.
Pronouncing the judgement, additional district
sessions judge of fast-track court, Balasore, R K Sahu yesterday also slapped a
fine of Rs 5,000 on convict Kanhucharan Jena of Anantapur under Soro police
station.
The prosecution said Jena had forced his wife Subasini Moharana to
undergo abortion in 1999 even after six months of pregnancy.
In another case, a former ASI of police was
sentenced to three years RI along with Rs 10,000 fine and in default of payment
four months more by the special vigilance court here yesterday.
Convict Bibhutibhusan Nayak was caught while
taking a bribe of Rs 4,000 from one person to drop a case against him in 2001
when the former was posted in Bhandraripokhari police station in Bhadrak.
Two
persons were killed and more than 17 persons injured, five of them critically,
in police firing at Phasipada village under Kodala police station in Ganjam
district about 41 km from here on Saturday. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik
announced a judicial inquiry into the incident in the evening.
The "unfortunate" incident happened when an angry
mob of villagers, who had earlier tonsured and held four persons of the village
in captivity for allegedly practising sorcery, attacked the police force by
throwing bombs and stones. To disperse the mob, the police started firing after
tear gas shells failed to control the situation, sources said.
The two deceased persons were identified as Purna Chandra
Pala and Rabi Pala of the village. They were rushed to the MKCG Medical
College hospital here,
where they were declared brought dead. Sixteen other persons including women
were under treatment in the hospital. The conditions of five were stated to be
critical. One from among them has been referred to the SCB
Medical College
hospital at Cuttack,
Ganjam Collector Dr Krishan Kumar told The Pioneer.
"While they were returning after rescuing four persons
including a woman from the clutches of the villagers, the unfortunate incident
happened," said Ganjam Superintendent of Police Rajesh Pandit.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik immediately ordered a
judicial inquiry into the incident. Ganjam Sessions Judge will probe the whole
issue.
Patnaik also declared ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the
kin of the deceased. He also announced free medical treatment to the injured.
According to sources, the villagers had started a ritual in
the village to find out the persons, allegedly practising sorcery, by using the
cot movement technique. They picked up four persons- Bhima Nahak, Banamali
Nahak, Trinath Nahak and a woman Godhi Pal. The villagers tonsured the four
persons who were also allegedly fed human excreta in the full glare of the
villagers. They were kept under strict vigil. One of the victims Bhima Nahak
escaped on Friday night and informed the police about the incident.
Based on victim Bhima’s FIR, the police on Sunday noon
reached the village and started rescuing the other three, but the villagers did
not allow the police officials to reach them which first led to a scuffle and
then a clash that
continued for two hours. To control the irate mob, the
police force and the ODRAF team started lobbing tear gas shells to which the
mob retaliated with stones and bombs, the police alleged. The police then
resorted to firing shots to control the situation but ended up killing two and
injuring many.
Southern Range DIG RK Sharma, SP Rajesh Pandit and
Collector Dr Krishan Kumar rushed to the spot and took stock of the situation.
Four platoons of police force have been deployed in the village. The situation
is tense but under control, police sources said.
On the other hand, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik described
the killing of two persons in police firing in Kodala as unfortunate and termed
tonsuring of four persons at Phasipada village as a barbaric and tragic
incident. “I’m shocked by the truly barbaric act and the firing in Kodala is
unfortunate. The situation is under control,” Patnaik said.
Over 1.22 lakh children
disabled: Report
BHUBANESWAR: Over 1.22 lakh children in the age-group of six to 14
years in the state are disabled, a government report said.
The data collected under
Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan(SSA), a national programme for universalizing primary
education, for the year 2012-13 says disabled children constitute 1.91% of the
total child population in the particular age group, covered under the
Right of Children to
Free and
Compulsory Education (RTE)
Act, numbering around 64.35 lak0h.
Of the 1.22 lakh disabled children, 1.19 lakh attend
schools while 27,000 of them are not enrolled. To bring the disabled children
to schools and mainstream them, SSA has appointed 30 inclusive education (IE)
coordinators for each of the 30 districts in the state, around 600 block
resource teachers (BRT) at block level and IE volunteers at panchayat level.
The special children include 28,000 orthopedically
impaired, 20,000 mentally challenged, 21,000 hearing impaired, 14,000 speech
impaired, 7,000 suffering multiple disability and 6,000
cerebral palsy patients, among others. Ganjam has the
highest 9,000 differently-abled children, followed by Balasore (8,700), while
Boudh has the lowest 1,300 of them.
The SSA report puts the number of autistic children at only
661. Those working in the field of disability say
autism may be underreported because of low
awareness about it. Swarna Mishra, chairperson Autism Therapy Centre, said some
parents are hesitant to accept the fact in case their children are autistic.
"They should admit the truth early so that there can be early
intervention," she said.
Superstition 'torture' in Ganjam villages
Berhampur: Godhi Pala and three others are the latest
victims of
superstition.
They had been tonsured, had their teeth pulled out and forced to swallow human
excreta before being paraded naked in Ganjam's Phasipada village recently
because villagers believed they were sorcerers.
Similar was the fate of Hema Swain (60) of a village near
Patapur. She was tied to a tree and beaten up before being driven out of the
village last year because villagers believed she was a witch. In another
incident, six women from Kumarapari village within
Khallikote police limits were branded with iron rods
because villagers felt they were responsible for some deaths and outbreak of
disease.
Human right activists and police said many people in rural
areas are victimized for blind beliefs. Sixteen such cases were recorded in the
district in the last three months. Besides Kodala and Khallikote, such
incidents were reported from Sorada, Badagada, Patapur, Gangapur and Tarasingi
police limits.
Ignorance, illiteracy, ill-health and blind beliefs are
responsible for such incidents, said Simanchal Bisoi, an advocate and human
rights activist, quoting a study of Andhra Pradesh-based Atheist Centre.
Politics is also responsible for spurt in such incidents, a senior police
officer said. Most of these are acts of revenge, he added.
Some persons from Nayagarh district, who claim to be
practitioners of Khatavidya, a superstitious practice to detect black magic,
are invited and paid huge amounts by the village committees to identify
witches. "They are responsible for the spurt in this kind of crime,"
said Sudhir Sabat, an social activist.
Mid-day
meal workers agitate for 'basic necessities'
BHUBANESWAR:
Mid-day meal workers of the state are on a warpath,
opposing contract system, outsourcing of work and demanding salary hike. About
5,000 women workers, who are instrumental in implementing the Central government
scheme launched to check malnutrition among school children, staged a
demonstration in front of the Assembly on Monday.
"Scores of women, who cook the meals for school
children, have been deprived of basic necessities themselves. Our work
condition is pathetic. While the Central government has earmarked Rs 1,000 per
month for the workers, they are only being paid a measly amount of Rs 300-400
per month, that too irregularly. We have informed the government about our
problems but no action has been taken yet. If things do not improve and the
government fails to fulfill our demands by the next academic session, we will
go on an indefinite protest," said president of Odisha Mid-day Meal
Workers'
Union,
Radharaman Sarangi.
Besides, the workers said they do not receive ration supply
for months on end sometimes. Most schools still do not have a proper place for
cooking meals and drinking water is also scarce. "We have no social
security or even a minimum wage even after 10 years of work," said Jayanti
Sahu, a MDM worker from Puri district. She also alleged that the state
government is sidelining the workers by outsourcing work to private
organizations and NGOs.
Some of the workers' demands include all BPL workers to be
included in BPL list, two pairs of sarees in a year, washing allowance,
identity card, first-aid box, LPG gas for cooking, 180 days of maternity leave
and so on.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/55270-govt-doing-everything-to-check-mnrega-irregularities-minster.html
Alleging large scale
irregularities in the implementation of the Union Government’s flagship programme,
Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in the State,
the opposition on Wednesday demanded that the Odisha Government should extend
the ongoing CBI probe to all the remaining 26 districts.
However, Panchayati Raj Minister Maheswar Mohanty rejected
the allegation. Since the charges of large scale corruption as levelled by the
Center for Environmental Studies and Food Security was being probed by the CBI
pertaining to six districts following the order of the Supreme Court, the State
Government would not hesitate to extend the probe by the central agency to rest
of the districts, provided the Apex court issues a direction to the effect.
“We are open to any probe, the Minister said while replying
to a debate on the admissibility of an adjournment motion on the allegation of
rampant corruption in the MGNREGA,” the Minister said.
Stating that the Social Audit System in the MGNREGA needs
to be strengthened to check irregularities and corruption in the implementation
of the job scheme, he said that the State Government has decided to create a
Separate Social Audit Directorate. However, he said that for impartial and just
social audit of the implementation of the job scheme for the poor, the State
Government has already registered Odisha Society for Social Audit,
Accountability and Transparency. The annual social audit is being conducted
through the Gram Sabha.
Mohanty said the State Government has already taken action
against 658 Government and non-Government officials. Criminal proceedings have
been initiated against 47 officials, action taken against 161persons U/S 25 and
departmental proceedings has been initiated against 304 Government servants, he
said. Even Rs 17.03 lakh has already been recovered from 146 officials while
Vigilance cases have been registered against 239 persons for omission and
commission.
Referring to the allegation of former District Collector of
Nuapada misusing the MGNRGS fund for gardening, the Minister said the State
Government would take exemplary action in the case only after receiving the
direction of the Supreme Court.
Participating in the debate, the opposition Congress and
BJP members alleged that the MGNRGS had failed in Odisha due to large scale
corruption and irregularities and accused the State Government of abetting the
crime and shielding the persons involved in corrupt practices. Pointing out
that work was being done without the approval of the Gram Sabha, they said that
the job work was only carried out in pen and paper and by resorting to issuing
job cards in the name of dead persons.
For the first time, Odisha’s
under-5 mortality decline has surpassed the national average decline rate
during 2009-10.
The State recorded the second highest drop in the under-5
mortality after Madhya Pradesh during this period.
In Odisha, the under-5 mortality declined by six points
from 84 in 2009 to 78 in 2010, which is higher than the national average
decline of five points ( 64 in 2009 to 59 in 2010).
Within a span of seven years from 1998-99 to 2005-06,
Odisha had recorded a drop of only 13.8 points whereas within one year (2009 to
2010) it recorded a sharp decline of six points.
Among the States, Assam
recorded the highest overall under-5 mortality rate - 83 deaths per 1,000 live
births followed by Madhya Pradesh (82), Uttar Pradesh (79), Odisha (78),
Rajasthan (69), Bihar (64) and Chhattisgarh
(61). Since the launching of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), the
under-5 mortality declined from 90.6 in 2005 to 78 in 2010.
Interventions under the NRHM include Integrated Management
of Newborn and Child Health Illness. Under this, the focus has been to improve
case management of illnesses amongst 0-5 years’ children including severe
malnutrition. Home visits are provided by ANM, AWW and ASHA to every newborn on
days 1, 3 and 7 and for LBW babies three more visits are undertaken.
Counselling for breastfeeding and supplementary feeding and
immunisation, recognition of risk conditions and management / referrals are
implemented in 20 identified high IMR districts of Keonjhar, Rayagada,
Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Balangir, Subarnapur, Boudh, Gajapati, Deogarh,
Sundargarh, Baleswar, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Kandhamal, Mayurbhanj, Koraput,
Bhadrak, Cuttack, Jajpur & Ganjam.
Siksha Adhikar Abhijan
launched
BHUBANESWAR: Siksha Adhikar Abhijan was launched in the primary
schools of the State recently to create awareness on the Right to Education Act
(RTE).
The campaign was launched by the School and Mass
Education (S & ME) Department to create a greater awareness on the RTE.
There are numerous clauses under the act that many people are not aware of. The
purpose of this campaign is to create an awareness about how a student can
avail of the free primary education at the primary schools that they are
entitled to. The campaign is a part of the ‘Siksha Ka Haq Abhiyan’ launched by
the Ministry of Human Resource Development with the sole purpose of spreading
the basic information about the RTE. A “Pravesh Utsav” was also organised to
mark the begining of the campaign in the state.
The State Government has planned to create a State
Working Group that will operate directly under the S & ME Minister Pratap
Jena. New enrolments of students will also be made under this campaign to Sri Aurobinda
Upper Primary
School under the Bhubaneswar
block. Those enrolled will also be provided with new books for the academic
session 2012-13.
A framework has been created and discussions are on to
create an action plan with NGO networks and volunteers to carry forward the
campaign.
Around 30 volunteers will be selected from every block who
will carry on discussions with the school and village community. The campaign
will enable the village community and the school managements in identifying the
requirements to implement RTE.
Panchayat
members demand freedom for Chasi Muliya Adivasi Sangh activists
KORAPUT: Even when the
MLA's hostage crisis is yet to make any headway,
around two dozen elected panchayat representatives, including zilla parishad
member Juro Mouka, from Maoist-hit Narayanpatna block staged a dharana at the
collectorate on Monday, demanding withdrawal of cases against president of
Maoist-backed
Chasi Muliya
Adivasi Sangh (CMAS)
Nachika Linga and other jailed members of the Sangh, among others.
"We demand the withdrawal of cases against Linga and
other members of the Sangh. The CMAS activists have been arrested on false
charges and they have to be freed unconditionally," said Mouka, reportedly
a CMAS-backed candidate, who won the lone ZP seat of Narayanpanta uncontested
in the recent panchayat polls.
The agitators also demanded return of tribal land taken
away by non-tribals, to make the region a liquor-free zone, to end the
prevailing bonded labour system in the area and tribal status for Noka Dora,
Konda Dora and Jhodia communities.
The demands of the elected representatives were the same as
that of CMAS, which according to the state government is a frontal organization
of the CPI (
Maoist). Sources said the
panchayati raj members staged the dharna on the direction of the Sangh to
pressurize the government to meet its demands.
"We held discussions with the agitators regarding
their demands and have appealed to them to call off the dharna," said
Koraput collector Sachin Jadhav.
After the panchayat polls, the CMAS is said to have entered
into a pact with the BJD to support it in zilla parishad in Koraput where both
the Congress and the ruling party ended with 14 ZP seats each, out of 29 ZP
seats in the district.
Besides, for over 10 days now, at least 25 families of
Narayanpatna have been campaigning at the collectorate, demanding release of
their men, who they alleged were arrested on false charges as they are CMAS
activists.
Maoist cadre killed in Keonjhar
KEONJHAR: A Maoist cadre was killed in an encounter in
Keonjhar district on Tuesday. He is yet to be identified. Police have seized
three guns, three kitbags, tiffin box, posters and leaflets from him. The
incident took place near Mundatopa village within Kanjipani police limits
during a joint operation by CRPF, Special Operations Group, Keonjhar and Angul
police.
The securitymen came across the Maoists group in Mundatopa
forest. The Red rebels allegedly fired at the policemen and the cops returned
the fired in which one extremist died. DIG (Rourkela)
Y Jethwa said "The Maoist group fired at police team first. In defence
cops fired back killing one." Police are yet to seize the body as the
magistrate has not reached the spot because of inaccessibility.
Slain
'rebel's' wife claims he was a trucker
KEONJHAR:
Amin Lohar,
the man who was killed by police on Tuesday on the charge of being a Maoist,
was actually a trucker, his wife has claimed. According to her, Lohar had gone
to Kaliapani area to inquire about mining activities, where he was shot by
police.
Loha's wife
Mamata and sister Minati arrived at the
Keonjhar
burial ground on Friday night, where police
were trying to bury him. Amin hailed from Kaliapani area and had been residing
at Baraguda, about 60 km from Keonjhar.
"My husband was never a Maoist. Nor was he ever
involved in any extremist activity. He was innocent. Police just killed him in
a false encounter," Mamata told media persons at the burial ground.
"My husband has a truck, a car and a van. We were
living happily through our business. Due to closure of mines, the truck was
lying idle for the last few months. Hence, on Monday he went out from the house
to Kaliapani area to see whether mining activities could start anytime soon. We
started searching for him when we found his cell phone switched off. We only
recognized him from his photo published in newspapers," Mamata, mother of
a 4-year-old son and a 6-year-old daughter, said.
Police, however, have a different story to tell. An
official release issued by police on Saturday said Amin was amongst four
persons belonging to the Kalinga Nagar Division of the CPI (Maoist). He was the
present treasurer of the body, and was involved in extorting money from
commoners. He also worked for Maoist frontal organizations like
Chasi Muliya
Sangathan,
Nari Mukti
Sangathan, Natya Mandalam etc. "His job was to lure innocent
tribals to the Maoist rank, and hand them over to Sushil alias Basant
(secretary of the Kaling Nagar Division committee)," it said.
Police further claimed Amin's house was a shelter for
Maoists. During the Nayagarh attack, he had taken seven caders of Kaling Nagar
division and dropped them at Ghasma training camp of the Maoists. He was also
acting as a link between Sushil and Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda. Amin was
earlier arrested by Kaliapani police in Jajpur district in August 2008.
Keonjhar SP
Ashish Kumar Singh said, "Amin was a
Maoist and was killed during police encounter in Mundatopa forest in Kanjipani
police station area. Arms and ammunition and other objectionable items were
seized from him. He was the founder member of the Kaling Nagar division."
The SP said Amin's wife had been 'pressurized by Maoist
leader Sushil to come to Keonjhar and create a ruckus before the media.
Intelligence reports of his involvement in Maoist activities are available with
Jajpur and Keonjhar police," the SP added. Police said they were trying to
bury the body in the presence of a magistrate as no one had come forward to
claim the body.
Elephant attacks claimed
61 lives in state in 2011
BHUBANESWAR: The incident of elephant depredation in the state is on
the rise. It was evident from the facts that the annual average death in
elephant attack till 2010-11 was 58, in 2011-12 it became 61.
Similarly, elephants damaged crops in 7,341 acres in
2010-11 while in 2011-12 it was 10,942 acres. The state government had given
compensation of Rs 144 lakh to the victims of elephant attack in 2010-11 and Rs
381.7 lakh in 2011-12, official sources said.
Experts and forest officials discussed the increasing
man-elephant conflict at a workshop on "Conservation of elephants in
Odisha and its challenges". Speaking on the occasion, environment and
forest minister Debi Prasad Mishra emphasized the need for protection of
elephants and precautions that to be taken to reduce losses because of man-elephant
conflict. The minister also highlighted the steps taken by the government.
Principal chief conservator of forests P N Padhy said the
elephant population is spread over 28 districts of the state. "Of the
total 1,886 elephants nearly 81% live in 11 sanctuaries while the rest 19% are
distributed outside the protected area and cause most incidents of elephant
depredation," he said.
The president of the
Nature and
Wildlife Conservation Society of
Odisha, M F Ahmed, emphasized on the special initiatives that need to be taken
for conservation of elephants with active cooperation of the public and
vigorous conservation programme by the government.
NHRC gets 242 complaints at
public hearing
PURI: In a bid to make public
servants aware of the scale of problems being faced by the weaker sections of
society, the National Human Rights Commission held first-of-its-kind open
hearing at Puri on Monday.
Victims and human rights activists voiced their grievances
and outlined the problems they face in seeking justice from government
agencies. From the 242 complaints received, 72 cases were heard.
The NHRC team was headed by member Satyabrata Pal.
Speaking on the occasion, Pal advised government officials to
be sensitive while dealing with cases relating to human rights violation.
“People below the poverty line should be extended all benefits of the schemes
like Indira Awas Yojana, Integrated Child Development Scheme, National Rural
Health Mission so that such complaints are minimised,” Pal said.
The Commission would examine all the cases and instruct the
State Government to take action accordingly.
The hearing was held as per the recommendations of K B
Saxena, who carried out a study on the continuing problems faced by the
Scheduled Castes and made recommendations to tackle and solve them.
Among the recommendations was that the
Commission organise at least one open hearing a year “where the victims of
major atrocities can present their experiences and grievances in seeking
justice from government agencies and human rights bodies or NGOs or social
workers and activists may apprise the rights body of difficulties encountered
by them in taking up their complaints”.
NHRC team
meets villagers at Posco site
Kendrapada: A National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) team
visited villages at the proposed
Posco steel plant site on Tuesday to
investigate into alleged rising incidents of human rights violation in the
region.
NHRC member Satyabrata Pal, along with five team members,
visited Dhinkia, Nuagaon, Noliasahi, Gobindapur, Gadakujang and other villages
under Earasama block of Jagasingpur district where the state government tried
to acquire 4,004 acres of land for the South Korean steel company to build a
steel plant in these areas at the cost of Rs 52,000 crores, the biggest FDI in
the country.
Anti-Posco activists told the
NHRC team that land sought to be acquired for
the proposed plant would deprive at least 30,000 locals of their livelihood.
"We showed all documents on rights of locals under Forest Rights Act to
the NHRC team and many evidence of human rights violation by officials and
police in a clear nexus with anti-social elements," said Sishir Mohapatra,
general secretary of Posco Pratirodhaka Sangram Samiti (PPSS).
"We told Satyabrata Pal that apart from causing
displacement of local people, the company, in cohorts with ruling party leaders
and police, have taken to patronizing local hooligans to start a reign of
terror by abusing and threatening the people. Police has leveled false charges
against hundreds of villagers, as a result of which they are afraid of to go
outside the villages. They are not getting proper health services as it is
impossible for them to visit neighbouring hospitals at Kujang and Paradip,
fearing arrest by police," said Abhaya Sahoo, president of PPSS.
Sabita Mandal (28), widow of one Tapan Mandal of Patana
village, told the NHRC team, "My husband was killed by pro-Posco
anti-socials on June 20, 2006 while he was protesting against the project. The
authority is yet to arrest the killers of my husband."
Besides, at least 254 pro-industry villagers of Dhinkia
gram panchayat, who have been driven out of the village by the anti-land
acquisition brigade during the past five years, narrated their plight to the
NHRC team. "Anti-Posco villagers assaulted us and drove us out of the
village in 2007 after we refused to join the anti-industry movement. Since the
past five years we have been living in a makeshift camp in Badagabapur village,
15 kms from our village Dhinkia. The authority provides Rs 20 each day to each
person. But the meager amount is not sufficient for us to maintain our families
in this camp," said Chandan Mohanty (50) of Dhinkia village, who now lives
in two small tin rooms along with his wife, two sons and a daughter.
"We will submit a detailed report about the violation
of human rights in these areas to the NHRC chairman soon," said Pal.
Prafulla Samantray, a social activist and state president
of Lokshakti Abhiyan, and others had sent letters to the NHRC chairman in 2008,
alleging an unholy nexus between the state government and anti-social elements,
unleashing terror in the seaside villages of Earasama block, following which
the rapportuer of NHRC Dr Damodar Sarangi had visited the areas on July 3,
2008.
Tragedy struck the labour room of the gynaecology department at
the SCB Medical College
Hospital here again as
one more woman died after falling from the labour room bed on Monday night.
Two months
earlier, an expectant woman had died in the hospital in a similar incident.
Health Minister Prasanna Acharya on Tuesday asked the hospital authorities to
submit a report on the incident.
Rasmita
Sahoo from Balipatna of Jajpur district had been admitted to the hospital on
Saturday and taken to the labour room on Sunday night. Her family members were
informed that she had delivered a stillborn child. When they entered the labour
room to see her condition, they found her screaming in pain on the floor after
falling from the bed. Tension prevailed in the gynaecology ward when Rasmita’s
family members alleged that it was because of doctors’ negligence that she died
in this manner.
Film
portrays plight of Kalinganagar tribals
KENDRAPADA: A documentary on the fight of displaced tribals
in Jajpur's Kalinganagar industrial hub was appreciated by many. "Once my
village" is a 20-minute film made by documentary photographer and
filmmaker Pranab Kumar Aich (25). Pranab, who is from Jajpur district, now
resides in Delhi.
"We captured deforestation resulting from
industrialization in Jajpur. Hundreds of fledglings perished as many nests were
destroyed after the administration axed trees and I presented this issue
vividly in my film and photography," said Pranab. The movie was screened
at the India International Centre and Cinemala Film Fest in New Delhi. Tnn
Constitute SC/ST protection
council in 2 weeks'
CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has directed the State Government
to constitute the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Protection Council in two
weeks.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice V Gopala Gowda and
Justice SK Mishra issued the directive acting on a PIL writ petition which
challenged the Government’s inaction in constituting the council.
Baghamber Patnaik, a social activist of Brahmagiri in Puri
district, had filed the writ petition. Patnaik, who is the advisor of Odisha
Goti Mukti Andolan, an organisation working for abolition of bonded labour
system, had pointed out that the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act came
into force in 1989 and thereafter, the Rules were framed in 1995. As per Rule
8, the Government should set up a SC and ST Protection Council at the State
Headquarters under the DG or IG of Police to safeguard the interests of the
communities. But till date, no such council has been set up, the petition
stated.
The Government Advocate told the court that the State had
already initiated steps for setting up the council and the nodal officer as per
the Rule 9 had already been appointed.
57 rescued from illegal
children’s home
BHUBANESWAR: As many as 57 inmates of a children’s home have been
rescued by the Child Welfare Committee of the Khurda district from
Chandrasekharpur area. The children, including minors, are now in the
custody of Ruchika Childline.
The children’s home, Shree Anand Mission, located near Damana Square of
the City, was apparently operating without a valid permission from the Woman
and Child Development Department.
Curiously, it had been running for the last 13 years in this
fashion.
After Khurda Collector Roopa Mishra asked the CWC to inspect
the children’s home, the plight of the inmates came to light. The children
rescued included 44 boys and 13 girls although the total inmate strength was
107, CWC member Benudhar Senapti said. The rest had gone home.
Sridhar Satpathy, in-charge of the shelter home, has been
detained by the police and could face charges for violation of the Juvenile Justice
Act.
During the inspection, the CWC team found that the inmates
were living in extremely unhygienic conditions. There were about a dozen rooms
for the 107 inmates with eight to 10 being accommodated in each room of 10 ft x
10 ft. For all the 100-odd inmates, there was just one toilet while bathing
space was in the open.
Most of the inmates belonged to Kandhamal and Gajapati
districts. While the inspecting team could not find details of addresses of the
inmates and their nativity, most of them had parents. Just four children were
orphans.
Senapati said the management admitted to not having applied
for permission since it was sure that meeting the norms would not be easy given
the living conditions.
A call on the future of the children would be taken by the
CWC chairperson on Thursday. They were produced before the CWC on Wednesday.
Those who have parents could be sent back home or to tribal
hostels. The Committee would also decide the future of the orphans.
Farmer ends life over loan
burden
NUAPADA: Worried over loan burden
yet another farmer, Atmaram Das (40), of Sadhu Pandripani village allegedly
committed suicide by consuming pesticide on Tuesday night.
Das had consumed the pesticide near his paddy field on
Tuesday afternoon and became unconscious after reaching home. Though he was
rushed to Nuapada
District Headquarters
Hospital, he succumbed in
the night.
Das had cultivated crops on three acres of land during
the current rabi season and was expecting good harvest but pending old loans
from bank and private parties continued to haunt him. He was under immense
pressure and upset over the loans as he was not in a position to repay them.
As per preliminary reports, Das had availed of a loan
of ` 40,000 from ADB Branch of State Bank of India at Nuapada besides private
loans _ ` 35,000 from a teacher of the village and ` 28,000 from a shopkeeper.
Das is survived by his wife Pileswari and four sons.
Dhamra
port: Villagers oppose land acquisition
BHADRAK: Even though the district administration has issued
notification under section 4(1) in March 2012 to the three panchayats near
Dhamra port for acquiring 227.63 acres, the locals
of Dosinga,
Jagula and Dhamra panchayats have expressed
their resentment against the official proceedings of acquisition.
The villagers claim that various relief &
rehabilitation (R&R) provisions for the displaced people and the land
losers have not been fulfilled. The 227.63 acres, part of 2,333 acres earmarked
for the port, is to be developed for township, expansion of the railway
corridor and water reservoir of the port.
According to sources, hundreds of local people attended a
protest meeting at Dhamra on Sunday under a newly-constituted
forum 'Bhumi Surakhya Mancha' and resolved
to oppose land acquisition.
"The district administration has failed to implement
certain mandatory provisions under the R&R policy for the displaced people
and the land losers. Of the 124 families displaced five years back, only 69
persons have been provided employment in the outsourced companies under the
Dhamra port, but not under direct pay roll. Of the 3741 land losers, only 250
have been given employment. Amid such irregularities, the RPDAC (rehabilitation
and peripheral development advisory committee) has not held any meeting since
June 2008, flouting government guidelines", said Sanjeeb Nayak, a member
of the forum.
Couple
killed over 'sorcery'
KEONJHAR: Superstition reared its ugly head in Keonjhar
district again with a tribal man murdering a midlle age couple for suspected
sorcery.
Police said the double murder came to light at Samantarapur
village near Ghatagaon on Sunday. Though the exact reason behind the killings
was not ascertained, police suspected that Sushil Birua (55) and Sushi Birua
(50) were hacked to death by a neighbour, Matei Munda, who suspected the couple
of practising witchcraft. Police sources said Sushil was a driver by
profession. The accused has been absconding ever since the attack on Saturday
night.
Munda always suspected Sushil and Sushi were behind his
family disturbances, said police. On Saturday Munda butchered them with an axe
and fled the place.
"I fainted on seeing the accused attacking my parents.
He had been threatening to kill my family members for a long time," the
slain couple's daughter Santi Munda told media persons.
Sub-inspector R Sabar said: "Investigation is on and
the accused is still at large."
Odisha Rationalist
Society (ORS), an
organization promoting rational thinking, recently said witchcraft and sorcery
had claimed 72 lives in the state in 2011. The figures include 17 murders in
Mayurbhanj district followed by 14 in Keonjhar, eight in Sundargarh and six in
Rayagada, among other districts.
The ORS recently filed public interest litigation (PIL) in
the
Orissa High Court seeking setting up of special courts
to try cases of superstition-related crimes and forming special investigation
teams to probe such cases.
Nine boys
held for classmate's rape
ROURKELA: Nine tribal students were arrested on Saturday for
allegedly raping a Class X girl at Bisra in
Sundargarh
district.
Sources said the incident took place on Thursday evening
when the victim and her friend were returning home from school. The accused
boys, who were the victim's classmates, intercepted the two at a lonely spot on
the road.
The boys first teased the girls and then dragged the two
inside a nearby forest. The girl's friend, however, managed to escape from the
spot. The students then allegedly raped their classmate.
The victim reported the matter to her parents as soon as
she reached home. Her parents then filed an FIR at Bisra police station.
"A case has been registered at
Bisra police
station and all the
nine accused have been arrested," said ASP (
Rourkela)
Sudersan Sethi. "All the accused are minors and they would be produced
before a juvenile court," Sethi added.
Police
association warns against releasing rebels
CUTTACK:
Odisha police
association on Monday
threatened to boycott duties in Maoist-affected areas if the state government
releases hardcore Maoists in exchange of the abducted tribal MLA and Italian
tour operator.
Strongly opposing the swap deal, president of State Police
Association, Sawarmal Sharma, said if the state government agrees to release
hardcore Maoists in exchange of the hostages, it will be an insult to security
men who sacrificed their lives during anti-Maoist operations. The release of
Maoists will demoralize the entire police fraternity in the state, he added.
"Every year scores of police personnel sacrifice their
life in anti-Maoist operations and the state government will do injustice to
them by releasing the dreaded rebels," Sharma said. "If the state
government bows to the demands of the Maoists we will be forced to boycott
duties in the Maoist-affected areas," he said, adding the state government
should take strong action against Maoists instead of fulfilling their demands.
Green
tribunal order leaves pro-Posco villagers in the lurch
KENDRAPADA: The recent order of the National Green Tribunal
(NGT) scrapping the environment clearance granted to the
Posco project has put brakes on the state
government's land acquisition in Dhinkia. However, the nearly 300 pro-industry
villagers, who were driven out by anti land acquisition brigades five years
back, are not able to return to their homes.
"Five years ago, we were banished to the transit camp
at Badagapapur, 15 km from our village, Gobindapur, in Dhinkia, for supporting
the Posco project. Now we want to return to our houses. The authorities had
assured us a good amount in lieu of our lands. But after the NGT order, land
acquisition has stopped and we are unsure of our future. We are the luckless
victims of an industrial warfare," said Sangram Padhiari (34), who lives
with six of his family members in a transit camp.
Padhiari said they were packed like sardines in 60
tin-covered rooms in the transit camps. "Five years back, 12 makeshift
latrines were built by Posco in the camp. Nine latrines were not functioning
owing to damaged pipes for the last two years. We live in unthinkable
conditions," said Pankajini Padhiari (64) of Dhinkia, who also lives in
the camp.
"Anti-Posco villagers assaulted us and drove us out of
the village in June, 2007, after we refused to join the anti-industry movement.
Since then, we have been residing in the makeshift camp in village Badagabapur.
The authorities give us Rs 20 per person per day. Everybody knows it is not
sufficient," said Chandan Mohanty (52) of Dhinkia village who resides in two
small tin-rooms along with his wife, two sons and a daughter.
"I had four acre land, including a one-acre betel vine
farm. We expected to get compensation of about Rs 40 lakh in lieu of my land. I
planned to build a house in Kujang after getting the amount. But the NGT
directive poured water on my plans, said Prafulla Mohanty (63) of Gobindapur
village.
"It is difficult for me to live in two small tin-rooms
in the summer with my five daughters, two sons and wife. We had a six-room
house in Dhinkia. Anti-land acquisition villagers compelled us to leave our
village after I refused to join them," said Santosh Mohanty of village
Patana.
"For the last five years, Posco has been paying money
to the displaced persons of 52 families. The company has also constructed tin-roofed
houses for them. We stopped land acquisition and other works after NGT scraped
environment clearance to Posco," said Surjit Das, the additional district
magistrate (ADM) of Paradip.
"Some pro-industry villagers, at the behest of some
ruling party leaders, left Dhinkia, Gobindapur and Patana villages to get
compensation money from the authority. We have no animosity against anybody. We
never assaulted the supporters of the project. They are always welcome to
return to their houses," said Sishir Mohapatra, the former Sarapanch of
Dhinkia and the general secretary of Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti.
No let-up
in migration: Study
BHUBANESWAR: Migration continues unabated from western Odisha. A
latest study has revealed that absence of employment, faulty credit system and
ineffective implementation of MGNREGS aggravated the problem in the State with
many districts reporting rise in migration in the last few years.
In Balangir, migration has risen by 83 per cent in the
last three years. During 2009-11, migration had gone up by 37 per cent, but
last year, it witnessed a massive jump. The study covered 4,311 people from 981
households in three blocks of the district and found that 90 per cent were
migrants.
The micro-level study by Aide et Action, International
Labour Organisation (ILO) and Labour Department of the State Government has
said 80 per cent of the migration in Balangir was due to distress conditions in
the villages. There is no work in the villages while loan repayment and crop
failure are the two most recurring factors of migration for the households.
A common feature was migrants borrowed heavily. Above 95 per
cent migrants borrowed to meet their medical expenses and family rituals
whereas 55 per cent borrow for their day-to-day sustenance.
Just about 74 per cent families had sufficient money to buy
PDS items. At least 69 per cent of the migrants borrow from money-lenders while
just nine per cent approached SHGs.
Kalahandi, part of the study, also presents a similar
pattern. At least 81 per cent of the studied population turned out to be
migrants. While most were from BPL categories, 45 per cent did not possess any
card.
The study found that principal occupation of these
migrant families was working for daily wage. While 59 per cent of the surveyed
migrants did not possess any land, about 38 per cent had less than two acres.
Close to 97 per cent of the migrants said they were forced to
migrate because of several factors such as lack of employment and livelihood
support.
An important finding of the survey in Balangir was that
a significant chunk (32 per cent) migrant households complained of
non-availability of work during the lean periods while 22 per cent said payment
of dues was delayed. However, 94 per cent of the migrants said
they received job when demanded.
It also revealed when migrants
returned to villages in May and June, there was no work available under NREGS
which started during September and October. By that time, the migrants had
borrowed to meet their needs and started moving out.
Manhandled’ Collector moves
SCW
BHUBANESWAR: Sambalpur Collector Mrinalini Darswal has petitioned the
State Commission for Women (SCW) seeking an inquiry into the April 23 incident
of ‘manhandling’.
The Commission received a five-page petition from Darswal in
which the collector has narrated how she was ‘manhandled’ and ‘abused’ while
trying to intervene in a law and order situation. A copy of her petition has
also been submitted to the National Commission for Women.
Chairperson of the SCW Dr Jyoti Panigrahi
acknowledged receipt of the petition and said she will inquire into it on April
29. “After inquiry, I will recommend actions,” she said.
With the arrest of 18 lawyers
on Thursday by the Sambalpur police on the basis of an FIR by Collector
Mrinalini Darswal, the Collector-lawyers row appeared to intensify with no sign
of any immediate let-up.
Members of the Orissa High Court Bar Association and those
of the All Odisha Lawyers’ Forum here have taken a serious view of the manner
in which the whole controversy is being handled by the Government, sources
said.
Police arrested 18 advocates, including Sambalpur District
Bar Association president Pramod Rath and secretary Bijitendriya Pradhan, from
the court area amidst virulent protests from fellow advocates when they were
sitting on dharna in front of the RDC office as part of their month-end
agitation demanding a permanent High Court bench at the district headquarters.
Some of the lawyers were organising a rally for the purpose
when police made the arrests. However, fellow advocates protested the action of
the police and shouted slogans against the district administration and the
Collector in particular, demanding her arrest.
The entire court area turned into a police camp with large
numbers of armed forces deployed everywhere. Amidst tight security, the
advocates were produced before the SDJM of Sambalpur who later released them on
PR bond.
“This is a victory of the advocates,” asserted association
president Rath. On the other hand, the Government employees are also
preparing for their next course of action. “If we don’t get adequate safety and
security, we will refrain from normal duties with information to the
Government,” said their office bearers.
There appears to be no let-up in the situation in the near
future since both sides are rigid on their stands.
The Orissa High Court Bar Association and those of the All
Odisha Lawyers’ Forum here on Thursday took a serious view of the manner in
which the whole controversy is now being handled by the Government.
Criticising the Government’s announcement for a Crime
Branch inquiry into Monday’s assault on the Sambalpur Collector and the
subsequent announcement by the Chief Minister that “law will take its own
course”, the lawyers of Cuttack
demanded a judicial probe into the entire issue.
Demanding immediate withdrawal of all cases registered
against the Sambalpur lawyers, members of the two largest lawyers’ bodies of
the State also came down heavily on the stand taken by the IAS Officers’
Association in meeting the Chief Minister and appreciating the Collector’s
action without making any objective study at the ground level.
Sending a team of lawyers to Sambalpur for an on-the-spot
assessment of the situation, the lawyers of Cuttack also decided to abstain from court
activities, including that of the High Court, till Monday. “We will decide on
further course of action after going through the report of the team of lawyers
on Monday,” said HC Bar Association president Jayant Das.
Das was also critical about the action of the local police
when they arrested at least 18 lawyers on Thursday under several charges. “How
could the police act first on the counter FIRs filed by the officers when the
lawyers had first filed their FIR against the Collector and the district
Sub-Registrar,” Das asked.
Similarly, All Odisha Lawyers’ Forum chief Dharanidhar
Nayak demanded, “The whole issue should be thoroughly probed into by a judicial
commission headed by a retired judge of the High Court.”
State Women Commission (SWC)
chairperson Dr Jyoti Panigrahi, on Wednesday, visited here to attend a camp
court at the District Collector’s office. She was accompanied by member of the
commission Snigdha Panigrahi.
As many as 33 cases of dowry torture, dowry death, cheating
and harassment against women were put before the camp court for disposal and 26
cases were disposed in the court. Besides the chairperson, District Collector Pradipta
Kumar Pattnaik and SP Narasingh Bhola were present.
Later, Panigrahi said, “Out of 33 cases from the district,
three cases have been settled amicably, whereas four cases were closed down by
the Commission as they were sub-judice. Four cases were referred to police for
action and five fresh complaints were received by the Commission.
Panigrahi condemned the face-off in Sambalpur between
District Collector Mrunalini Darshwal and lawyers. She appealed the lawyers of
Sambalpur and the district administration for peace and not to repeat such
incident. Panigrahi said she would provide moral support to the Sambalpur
Collector as a woman.
Asked if the SWC would intervene in the issue, she said the
need is not felt now but as and when it is required, the Commission will
definitely intervene. Panigrahi stated that women desks have been opened in all
the police stations to curb violence against woman, but due to shortage of
staff, the results are not satisfactory. Even to curb immoral trafficking,
integrated anti- human trafficking units have been functioning in five
districts and plans are afoot to set up more units across the State, she said.
In Kendrapada district, as many as 2, 133 cases have been
registered between 1993 and 2012. But only 1, 390 cases have been disposed of.
From January, 2012 to March, 2012, as many as 24 cases of women violence and
torture have been registered in the district, where as eight out of 24 cases
have been disposed of, she informed.
As many as 101 cases of dowry death, 967 cases of dowry
torture, 624 non-dowry torture cases, 46 cases of suspected death, 61 cases of
rape, 74 cases of kidnap, 165 cases of cheating, 44 cases of land dispute, 74
cases of service matter, 499 cases of misbehavior and 105 cases of harassment
have been reported in the State from January, 2011 to March, 2012, she
disclosed.
No new liquor shops against
people’s will: HC
CUTTACK: In a landmark judgment
that could change the way liquor shop licences are granted in the State, the
High Court has held that the State Government is duty-bound to honour the will
of the people and local representatives while permitting opening of liquor
outlets.
The will of the people must prevail over the intention
of the Government for grant of liquor shop licence in a particular area.
Achieving revenue collection target cannot be a ground for opening of liquor
shops, the court observed.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice V Gopalagowda and
Justice B N Mohapatra said the Government is duty-bound to ensure that the rule
of law is maintained and for that it should take effective steps to check sale
of spurious liquor that often results in loss of lives. The Government, the
Bench said, cannot take advantage of its own inaction, latches and failure to
prevent sale of spurious liquor by opening new liquor shops.
The directive came in response to a PIL filed by one
Laxmi Charan Patra of Ganjam district. He had challenged opening of a new
IMFL Off shop at Singipur under Pattapur police station within Digapahandi
Excise limits.
The petitioner alleged that the authorities were trying
to open the liquor shop in gross violation of the excise law and ignoring the
objections raised by local populace and people’s representatives like sarpanch
and chairman of panchayat samiti of that area. Singipur, Patra pointed out, is
a very tiny village with people mostly belonging to BPL category. Opening of
liquor shop in such an area would not be in public interest, the petitioner
maintained.
The court observed that both the State and the Centre
have introduced several schemes for the uplift of the weaker sections.
The Government should curb illegal sale of spurious liquor in an effective
manner instead of opening liquor shops in the locality against the will of the
people.
Due to opening of liquor shops in rural and slum areas,
the Bench remarked, a substantial portion of earning goes towards consumption
of liquor which not just affects the health and financial conditions of the
earner, it ruins the family life. Therefore, whenever there is opposition from
people or from people’s representatives to opening of liquor shops, the
Government should refrain from doing it, the Bench said.
“Needless to say, if the objections raised are not
accepted, then the very system of local self- governance enshrined in the
Constitution will be an illusion,” the Bench remarked.
Electric
shock in hostel kills tribal student
The Class VI student was identified as
Gurucharan Munda, a resident of Nuagaon village.
According to police, Gurucharan was electrocuted while climbing on to his cot
at night in the school
hostel when he accidentally touched the solar
light wire hanging near his bed.
Gurucharan was rushed to Keonjhar district headquarter
hospital, where he was declared dead. "The student died of electrocution.
A postmortem has been conducted. We are investigating the incident and have
registered an UD case," said
Nayakote police station IIC S K Kisan.
Parents of the deceased student alleged the accident took
place due to the negligence of the school authorities.
"Assistant district welfare officer is inquiring into
the incident. After investigation action will be taken against those found
guilty," said district welfare officer Basanta Kumar Sethy.
There are about 430 students in the hostel.
The 44-day long Maoist hostage
crisis in Odisha came to an end with the release of Laxmipur BJD MLA Jhina
Hikaka on Thursday.
Though the ultras released all their three hostages taken
in two separate incidents unharmed, the State Government had to pay a heavy
price.
The Naveen Patnaik Government, which used to describe the
Maoists as "criminals" and "anti-nationals," had to bow
down before the demands of the insurgents.
Chief Minister Patnaik, who often described Maoist violence
using words such as "carnage," "gruesome,"
"inhuman" and "barbaric," had to choose them carefully in a
bid to secure freedom for the three men.
Patnaik, who had hardly compromised on important issues in
his political career spanning over a dozen of years, had to make about 100
appeals to the Maoists requesting them to release the Italian duo and the MLA.
While the Maoist group led by Sabyasachi Panda released
tourist Claudio Colangelo on March 25 after abducting him on March 13, they
freed tour operator Paolo Basusco on April 12.
Meanwhile, another group of the Maoists of the Andhra
Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee had abducted MLA Hikaka on March 23
night, adding to the crisis for the Government. The State administration had to
pay a hefty price to ensure the release of the trio.
While the Government announced its decision to facilitate
release of five Maoists from jail in lieu of the two Italians’ freedom, it had
to commit to the ultras that 25 persons — 17 members of the Chasi Mulia Adivasi
Sangh and eight Maoists — would be released from jail.
This is not all. The Government had to announce its decision
to withdraw the cases against 13 persons, including five Maoists, for safe
release of the MLA. The Government, however, refused to release dreaded Maoist
Chenda Bhusan alias Ghasi and four other members of the CMAS, including
Gananath Patra.
“The State Government will do the needful to fulfill the
commitments it made to the Maoists,” Principal Secretary of Home Department,
Upendra Nath Behera, said.
Rights body faults Southco for boy's death
Bhubaneswar/ Keonjhar: The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC)
recently asked power distribution major
Southern Electricity Supply Company of Odisha Limited (Southco) to pay Rs
1.5 lakh compensation to the family of a minor boy, who was electrocuted in
2010.
OHRC found gross negligence with Southco and asked its
chief executive officer to pay the compensation within six weeks. The order was
delivered on April 23.
Class VIII student B Upendra died after coming in contact
with a high tension line on his school premises at Upalapada in Gajapati
district on June 24, 2010. "The live wire was hanging precariously on
school premises. Southco showed little interest to remove the live wire,"
OHRC registrar C R Mohapatra told media persons here on Friday.
Soon after Upendra's tragic death, human rights activist R
K Tripathy had moved the commission seeking compensation from Southco, sources
said.
Meanwhile, a 27-year-old youth died of electric shock after
coming in contact with an electric wire at a village in Keonjhar district. The
deceased was identified as Ganeswar Sethy of Saraskela village in Sadar police
station area.
According to sources, many trees were uprooted in the area
due to gusty winds on Thursday night. An electric wire passing through the
village also snapped in the storm and fell on the ground. When Rankanidhi
Sethy, the deceased's father went out of his house to attend to the call of
nature, he got a shock after coming in contact with the wire and shouted for
help. His wife rushed out and also suffered an electric shock. His parents'
shout for help woke Ganeswar up and he went out to see what was wrong. While
rescuing his parents Ganeswar was electrocuted and died on the spot.
Tension mounted in the village after the incident. An
electric department official and police went to the spot on Friday to
investigate the incident. The electric department official assured family
members of the deceased of adequate compensation.
"Postmortem of the body was conducted after registering
a case in police station. Investigation is on," said a police officer of
Sadar police station.
Earlier on Wednesday, a tribal student of Kadakala high
school also died due to electrocution.
Man electrocuted while trying to save parents
JEONJHAR: A 27-year-old youth died of electric shock after
coming in contact with an electric wire on Thursday night in Saraskela village
under
Sadar police station
limit. The deceased was identified as Ganeswar Sethy.
According to sources, many trees were uprooted in the area
due to gusty winds on Thursday night. An electric wire passing through the
village also snapped in the storm and fell on the ground. When Rankanidhi
Sethy, the deceased's father went out of his house to attend to the call of
nature, he got a shock after coming in contact with the wire and shouted for
help. His wife rushed out and also suffered an electric shock. His parents'
shout for help woke Ganeswar up and he went out to see what was wrong. While
rescuing his parents Ganeswar was electrocuted and died on the spot.
Tension mounted in the village after the incident. An
electric department official and police went to the spot on Friday to
investigate the incident. The electric department official assured family
members of the deceased of adequate compensation.
"Postmortem of the body was conducted after
registering a case in police station. Investigation is on," said a police
officer of Sadar police station.
Earlier on Wednesday, a tribal student of Kadakala high
school also died due to electrocution.
Protest against power plant enters 45th day
The 1980MW power plant needs 1,000 acre land, out of which
only 300 acre is government land. Villages like Dhaurapalli, Barada Malia,
Karamala Kata and Baija would be affected by the project. tnn
A tri-partite talk convened by the district collector on
Tuesday failed to reach any conclusion on the issue. Most of the members
present at the meeting reportedly opposed the move by the state government to
set up the power plant.
Dinabandhu Pradhan, the president of JJKSC, said, "The
area which is notified for the project is highly fertile for paddy and
agricultural purposes. The setting up of the power plant would not only affect
the livelihood of the farmers, but will also have its impact on environment. We
have asked the district administration to relocate the plant."
Angul district collector Siba Prasada Mishra said, "I
have heard the opinions of common people in the meeting. While some members
were against the proposed power plant in the area, others favoured it."
In
almost a replication of the Odisha High Court verdict awarding two juvenile criminals
do social service, which, of course, was altered later on appeal by the
parents, the Bhadrak Judicial Magistrate First Class has ordered a juvenile
thief to clean the outdoor of the District
Headquarters Hospital
for six months starting May 1.
The case was against Tulu Behera (17) and Banguru Jena (17)
of Randia under Bhadrak Rural police station, who were framed for theft of
Rs51,200 from the house of one Khudiram Sahu residing in a hut near the Randia
overbridge on August 6, 2011.
The police, on investigation, had recovered Rs20,000 from
Tulu and Rs14,000 from Banguru.
While the JMFC, Namita Das, acquitted Banguru for want of
adequate evidence, she passed an order of exemplary punishment for Tulu ruling
that he will clean the outdoor of the Bhadrak Headquarters Hospital for six
months, starting from May 1 after making a detailed study of his background and
ascertaining that he was a poor boy and had no criminal antecedents.
The court ruling has been widely acclaimed across the
district.
Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) are ordinary
citizens of the country, who are determined to defend the democratic rights or
civil liberties in the society. Mostly coming from the disadvantaged or
marginalized class, their fight represent the urgency for establishment of rule
of law. The presence and need of HRDs have been widely acknowledged by the
governments across the world, at least in public for playing a pivotal role in
building a just society. However, in
reality HRDs are deliberately suppressed, harassed and threatened by the state
and non state actors for opposing and questioning their unlawful activities. The
United Nations has acknowledged the role of human rights defenders in
establishing a stronger democratic society.
Dr. Bikash Das, who heads the Committee for Legal Aid to
Poor (CLAP) a pioneer legal aid organisation of the State, had focused on the
basic of human rights and the instruments to protect the human rights
defenders. He also explained the international standards on human rights with
the various covenants relates to it. Sky is the limit for a defender, if we can
internalize over a case, then nothing to fear to fight against it as he
suggested.
While Mr
Dhirendra Panda an eminent defender of the State clarified about the wide
range of violations happening in the State especially challenges facing by HRDs,
the right to life, liberty, equality & dignity of the individual guaranteed
by the constitution which are enforceable by the courts in India. It is said
that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity & rights (Art 1),
no one shall be subject to torture(Art 5),
no one shall be subject to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile(Art 9),
right to work(Art 23), right to education(Art 26), prohibition of traffic in
human beings and forced labour(Art 23) but these laws and rules are not
followed often it has been violated by the State actors.
The first day program ended with vote of thanks .
The theme for this year’s
International Human Rights Day (December 10) was ‘My Voice Counts’, but in real
sense the voice of the human rights defenders (HRDs) who have been fighting for
justice and individual rights to the poor people is being increasingly
suppressed, may it by the State or non-State powers
With every passing day, torture and
harassment against human rights defenders is on the rise in the State
indicating a red signal for democracy. The activists fight for the poor people
protecting their rights and in the process many times, face hurdles from the
State administration, including the police and local goons. So, stringent law
should be adopted for human rights defenders’ security and for providing them a
legal framework to fight as per the provisions of the Constitution said Manoj
Jena, Chairperson of HRF while memorizing the importance of the 9th
December he further said the day is being observed as International Human
Rights Defenders day as for the first time UN passed a resolution in General Assembly
to adopt a 20 points declaration on human rights defenders.
Attending the programme, NHRC
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Focal point for Human Rights Defenders Mr. Anil Kumar Parasar said the number of cases is on the
rise in Odisha. Till now nearly 5,000 cases has come to NHRC from Odisha while
the figure is expected to touch 6,000 in the current financial year which is
not a good sign in a democratic set-up.
The NHRC is the only human rights
institution of the world who establishes a focal point for human rights
defenders said Mr Parashar. He briefly narrated the roles and functions of NHRC
especially the intervention mechanism.
He made it clear that the SHRC and
the NHRC are individual entities with their independent jurisdictions. However,
he assured to extend all kinds of support to the State-level human rights
institutions for creating more awareness at the grassroots level.
The last session brought out a concrete road map of defenders network in
odisha by the defenders themselves with the following plan of actions, which
was also presented to Mr AK Parashar who represented from NHRC.
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