The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notice to the Odisha Chief Secretary and sought for an Action Taken Report (ATR) on the plight of the villagers especially from the tribals and scheduled caste community living in the mineral-rich hinterlands of Keonjhar district.

The NHRC sought the ATR while taking cognisance of the petition filed by human rights lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy.

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The quality of life is left much to be desired in the villages bearing the brunt of mining activities. The environmental pollution triggered by mining has led to the outbreak of diseases, including respiratory and renal ailments, to those living on the periphery of areas where lakhs of tonnes of minerals are being extracted on a daily basis, the petition pointed out, adding that the measures on part of the government to extend aid to the affected villagers are largely found wanting.

“The Commission has received a complaint from Radhakanta Tripathy, an advocate and human rights activist from Delhi raising the issue of difficulties being faced by the people in Keonjhar district of Odisha due to mining. The complainant has alleged that the people indulged in mining activities as workers are forced to live in pathetic conditions. There are no proper roads, drinking water, school and employment opportunities for them. The complainant has stated that the administration is solely responsible as no social welfare schemes are functioning in the area and the rights of the people, mostly Scheduled Tribe, are being grossly violated”, the apex rights panel stated in the order.

“The Commission shall be constrained to invoke coercive process u/s 13 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 calling for a personal appearance of the authority concerned for submission of the report, in case the report is not received within the stipulated time”, the NHRC added in its order.

Odisha is endowed with vast resources of a variety of minerals and occupies a prominent place in the country as a mineral rich State. Currently, Odisha is endowed with about one third of the estimated national mineral resources.

Keonjhar district leads in State’s mineral reserve. Odisha constitutes 28 per cent iron ore, 24 per cent Coal, 59 per cent Bauxite and 98 per cent Chromite of India’s total deposits, said an official.