The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued conditional summons against Bhadrak District Collector for failure in submission of the requisite action taken report pertaining to alleged violation of human rights of Muturigad and Nuabandh villagers under Barasara Gram Panchayat of Tihidi Block.
The NHRC passed the order acting on a petition filed by lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy.
“Even if a direction was issued to the Chief Secretary by the NHRC in 2022, no effective step has been taken by the administration to address the issue. Therefore I am constrained to file the second petition on the same cause of action,” the petitioner said.
The issues of deprivation of basic amenities to more than one hundred habitations and denial of benefits of welfare schemes to the eligible persons in the villages amounted to violation of basic human rights, he contended.
“In response to the directions of the Commission dated 27.10.2022, no requisite report has been received from the District Magistrate, Bhadrak, Odisha till date. Let a conditional summons be issued to the District Magistrate, Bhadrak, Odisha to personally appear before the Commission on 22.05.2023 along with the required action taken report. If the desired report is submitted before the Commission on or before 15.05.2023, the personal appearance shall be dispensed with.” NHRC said in its order and posted the matter for further hearing on 22 May next.