The family of Nilam Sanjeeb Xess, an international hockey player from Odisha, is living in an ill-equipped kutcha house though his family is eligible for a government-funded housing scheme.
NHRC (File Photo)
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought an Action Taken Report (ATR) from the collector of Odisha’s Sundargarh district on alleged denial of social security benefits to the impoverished family of an international hockey player.
The family of Nilam Sanjeeb Xess, an international hockey player from the state, is living a miserable life in an ill-equipped kutcha house. Though his family is eligible for a government-funded housing scheme, no housing grant has been allotted to them.
Advertisement
The house where Xess lives does not have space to keep his medals and certificates properly, Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy, contended in a petition to NHRC.
Advertisement
Xess’s house is located in Kadobahal village under Kuarmunda Block in the Sundargarh district.
The petitioner pleaded with the NHRC for immediate intervention and issuance of direction to the government to ensure a house with toilet and other welfare scheme benefits to the family on top priority basis.
The NHRC directed the district magistrate of Sundargarh, Odisha with the directions to get the allegations made in the complaint looked into and submit an Action Taken Report within four weeks’ time, for perusal of the commission.
“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 apex rights panel ordered.
Advertisement
