Rehabilitate villagers within 3 months:  NHRC asks Odisha government

BHUBANESWAR: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the Odisha Government to ensure rehabilitation and resettlement of residents of five revenue villages, who were displaced due to the tiger and wildlife conservation project in Satkosia in Angul district.

Disposing of a petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy, the apex human rights panel asked the State Chief Secretary to complete the process within three months. Tripathy had raised basic human rights issues of forest dwellers in Satkosia wildlife division. Residents of five villages were forcibly evicted for the tiger conservation project without any resettlement and rehabilitation measures. 

Taking cognizance of the complaint, the Commission had sought a report from the Chief Secretary and asked the Director of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to expedite the relocation process and submit a report. The Chief Secretary, in his reply, informed that the relocation of Marada village in Mahanadi wildlife division was delayed due to Left-wing extremism. He said the forest officials were asked to accelerate the process by holding discussions with people who would be affected. 

Acting on the report, the NHRC had sought response from Tripathy who maintained that the plea of the State government that the relocation process was delayed due to Left-wing extremism is abominable and needs to be sorted out as soon as possible. There are five revenue villages - Raigoda, Marada, Kuturi, Salapagonda and Musuguda inside the Satkosia Tiger Reserve core area of 524 sq km. 

Though residents of three villages were relocated, they are deprived of basic amenities at the new location. Earlier, the NHRC was also informed that owing to insufficient funds sanctioned by NTCA for relocation of villages and left-wing extremism, the inhabitants of affected villagers were subjected to man-animal conflicts.