Bhubaneswar: Civil society members and activists met governor Raghubar Das here on Friday and urged him to take steps for setting up a statutory national commission to hear the grievances of displaced people.
“Starting from the Hirakud dam project till now, around 45% of displaced people have been rehabilitated or compensated. The remaining are still struggling to get their dues,” said activist Prafulla Samantara.
A four-member delegation submitted a report on ‘Displacement and Human Rights Violations — The Odisha Story’ to the governor.It was prepared by jury members headed by Manoranjan Mohanty, a retired professor of Delhi University, after conducting public hearings with displaced people in Odisha.
The report recommended forming a statutory body like the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to hear the grievances of displaced people. It can be called the National Commission on the Rights of Displaced People.
Mohanty said it can be created by an Act of Parliament, having branches in all states. “The panel will function like NHRC, National Commission for Women, and the ST and SC commissions. It should have the legal authority to enforce its recommendations in letter and spirit,” he added.

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