The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry to initiate steps to tackle challenges being faced by tribal settlers in the wake of the non-implementation of tribal policy.
Disposing of a batch of petitions filed by human rights lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy, the NHRC passed the order in this regard.
The petition had drawn the attention of the Commission towards the plight of tribal communities who are being forced to leave their homes due to projects like building dams, roads, and industries causing them to lose their land, livelihood, and basic rights.
Despite government promises, the tribal land losers are neither being properly rehabilitated nor provided with basic facilities. Tripathy has requested that the NHRC intervene to ensure the lawful protection of their rights and facilitate their resettlement with dignity.
The petitioner also raised issues regarding the land and forest rights of landless and homeless tribals due to infrastructure projects and the reservation of forests as National Parks and wildlife sanctuaries.
The compensatory cash payment does not really compensate the tribals for the difficulties they experience in their living style and ethos. Denial and deprivation of land rights to tribal, failure to address the issues, and lack of basic amenities and bare necessities in the tribal habitations make them lead a life of misery, the petition highlighted, emphasising the plight of tribal land losers.
The displaced tribal settlers also encounter a lack of access to the healthcare system, the petition pointed out, seeking ameliorative measures to ensure the Right to Health and reduce anaemia rates among tribal children by implementing the tribal policy.
The petition also pointed out the challenges like language barriers, poverty, teacher absenteeism, and poor infrastructure that contribute to high dropout rates in predominantly tribal-inhabited areas.
The petitioner called for the urgent implementation of the National Tribal Policy to improve educational access and quality for tribal children, particularly focusing on language, cultural integration, and vocational training and to address the issues effectively.
Disposing of a batch of four petitions, the NHRC directed the Secretary of the Ministry of Women & Child Development, the Secretary of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and the Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to consider the issues raised in the petition and ensure the needful action.