Human Rights Bodies like National Human Rights
Commission, State Human Rights Commission has been constituted to protect human
rights of the people in the country. As per Protection
of Human Rights Act,1993, these statutory bodies are required to hear
the complaint cases relating to violation of human rights and give justice to the
victims by directing appropriate authority to take
action against the law violator
and awarding compensation to the affected persons. But the callousness and indifferent attitude of
these bodies has
endangered the life and livelihood
of the common people and standing as stumbling
block for protection of human rights. I cite herewith
few examples in this regard.
1.Starvation
death of Jhintu Bariha and his four-member family
in Bolangir
Jhintu Bariha was a poor
landless tribal of Khaprakhol Block of Bolangir district having
no source of livelihood. He along with his family members migrated
outside state in search of livelihood every year. However, in 2009 at the worksite in Hyderabad,
he got injured and could not work. He
returned to the village and continued to suffer from hunger without doing any
work. He and his wife, son, daughter and mother died of
starvation in the period from September to November 2009. This news touched headline of all the National
and local newspapers. Sri Arun Kumar
Mishra, Political Activist of Bolangir
had filed a case in National Human Rights
Commission, New Delhi demanding an
enquiry into it. The
NHRC also took up suo moto this
case and sent its rappoteur
to Bolangir for enquiry. Sri
Damodar Sarangi , Rappoteur made a
five-day visit to Bolangir in April in 2010 and made a thorough enquiry into it by meeting officials, social activists,
media, NGOs and submitted voluminous report to NHRC. Though four years passed,
NHRC has neither heard the case
nor disposed it. NHRC has not
given any direction
to State Govt. in this regard. I
had personally raised this issue in 2011 and 2012 in the Public Hearing conducted
by NHRC in Bhubaneswar ( Swosti Premium and State
Guest House). Nothing has happened till
yet.
2.Starvation
death of Laxman Jagat of Nuapara district.
Laxman Jagat of Sinapali block under Nuapara district is a
poor man having its name figured in BPL list of the State Govt.
He died of hunger in his village in the month of November, 2011. The
news about starvation death was
highlighted in mass media. A
fact-finding Team of Right to Food
Campaign, Odisha had visited the spot on 29.11.11 and produced the report.
Following the Report, I filed a petition
to the NHRC
on 24.12.11 seeking enquiry
and action against officials responsible for it. The
case no as registered in NHRC is Case No. 111/18/30/2012. The Commission
invited the report from Chief Secretary
following my Complaint petition. The Report sent by Chief secretary
forwarded to me for
comments. On Dated 16.5.12, I
submitted my comments to the
NHRC. Though one year passed, I
have not received any decision of the NHRC till yet.
3.Semi-starved
Situation of Bauti Pradhan, a disable person of Rasulpur Block under Jajpur district, Odisha
On 13.5.2012, news about semi-starved
situation of Bauti Pradhan and his family of Rasulpur Block of Jajpur district was
published in the newspaper. Bauti Pradhan
is a landless disable old man, aged about 65 is living with his
wife in Nuapana Sahi (hamlet) of Suasahi
village. His wife is also a paralysis patient. Both live in broken thatched
house. Extreme old age does not allow them to do any work for livelihood. He does not have BPL or Antodaya card but
getting old age pension which is not
sufficient for them. In view of the situation of Bauti Pradhan, I filed a petition dated 16.5.2012 to NHRC
seeking relief for the
family. On dt. 8.6.2012, the NHRC forwarded
it to State Human Rights Commission, Odisha under section 13 (6) of the Protection of
Human Rights Act, 1993 with a copy marked to me. Finding no response from SHRC,
Odisha around one year, I filed an RTI Application on dated 17.6.13 to the PIO,
office of OHRC seeking information about status of the case. On 8.7.13, the PIO
intimated that the case has been placed before the commission for
consideration. On 17.7.13, I found order of the OHRC in which my complaint (
Case No.- 2677/2012) has been sent to the Collector, Jajpur to enquiry
into it. Due to my RTI Application
submitted, the OHRC acted on this case.
Otherwise the case might remain pending for years together. God knows how and
when the Collector, Jajpur will deal the
case and give justice to the family
4. Starvation
death of two people in Bolangir
On 26.11.12, Lalu Sahu, aged
45 a poor non-BPL card holder of Jalpakhel
village under Khaprakhol Block of
Bolangir district died after being suffered from chronic illness and remaining in hunger. Lalu with his mother and two sisters was living in abject poverty.
He was working in a road-sde Dhaba and earning for livelihood while his mother
and sisters went on begging for
survival. His leg got infected for which he could not move and remained
lying in bed. As he could not earn, he
could not go to hospital and remained in hunger and ultimately died. Similarly, on 17.11.12, an
old woman Annapurna Bagarti of Tikarpara under Bolangir Municipality died after prolonged illness and remaining hungry
for months together.
Both the cases was highlighted
in mass media. On 2.12.12, I filed
a complaint to NHRC to enquire into the matter and give justice to the bereaved family. NHRC
transmitted the complaint petition ( Case No-5597/18/2/2012/OC) to Chief Secretary, Odisha on 29.1.13 for ac action taken report within
four weeks from the date of the receipt of the letter. On 9.4.13, the Dept. of
Home, Govt. of Odisha produced action
taken report on the case denying the
allegation describing it as natural death. On 29.6.13, the HNRC has sent the
said report seeking my views by 20.7.13.
Till yet, NHRC has not disposed the case.
Pradip Pradhan
State Convener
Right to Food campaign, Odisha
M-9937843482
Date- 27.9.13
