The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Chief Secretaries of Odisha and Chhattisgarh to furnish a detailed report on rehabilitation and resettlement of more than twenty-six thousand families due to construction of Hirakud multi-purpose dam project more than seven decades back.
Hirakud Dam built across the Mahanadi River in the undivided Sambalpur district is one of the first major multipurpose river valley projects started after the country’s independence. The mega-dam has played an effective role in controlling floods in the Mahanadi delta. Besides, the water reservoir has emerged as a major source of irrigation in western districts. The dam helps production of hydroelectricity through hydroelectric projects.
The contentious issue of rehabilitation of oustees has been dragging on over the years. The apex rights panel recently passed the order on the five-year-old petition by civil rights activist and human rights lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy.
Issuing notice also to five different District Collectors of Odisha the NHRC asked them to apprise the details within six weeks.
The land acquisition for the mega project had begun in 1952-53 by the then Hirakud Land Organisation constituted by the state government. After seven decades after the commissioning of the project, rehabilitation and resettlement issues pertaining to people displaced by Hirakud Dam Project continue to remain unresolved.
Some of the land oustees have been paid with half compensation and some have also not been paid with compensation totally. 26,561 families of 369 villages were not properly rehabilitated and resettled, according to a petition moved by rights activist Radhakant Tripathy.
Stating the displacement as the worst human tragedy of the century, Tripathy in his additional submission contended that due to inaction and negligent attitude of the State Authorities, the ousted families have been facing problem for generations in five districts in Odisha and Sarguja, Raigarh districts of Chhattisgarh.
“The Commission appreciates the works, research and efforts being done by the complainant in order to protect the human rights of the Hirakund displaced. The facts submitted by the complainant lead the Commission to observe that now the local administrations led by District Magistrates of all five districts i.e. Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sundargarh and Subaranpur Districts have to take the matter seriously and constructively without any further delay”, the NHRC stated in its latest order.
It is pertinent to note here that Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on 15 November last year had announced that 2000 displaced families of the Hirakud dam project will be provided homestead land by the state government.