NHRC seeks govt report on ‘human rights violations’ of PVTG tribe in Keonjhar | Bhubaneswar News
Keonjhar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought an action taken report from the district magistrate-cum-collector of Keonjhar on alleged human rights violations of the Juanga tribe, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in the district.
The commission, which passed the order on Feb 28, has asked for the report within four weeks.
The move comes after a human rights activist and lawyer, Radhakanta Tripathy, filed a petition, speaking about the plight of the Juanga tribe living in 114 villages without basic amenities apparently.
Of the 62 tribes in Odisha, Juanga is one of the 13 PVTG tribes in the state and its members mostly live in and around Gonsaika hills areas of Banspal block in Keonjhar district.
The petitioner alleged that due to the apathy, negligence, failure of the tribal welfare department of the state govt and the district administration, the villagers in Keonjhar district, especially the Juanga tribe, have been denied all-weather roads, healthcare and education, leading to several human rights violations. “Healthcare services are non-existent as the nearest primary health centre is 15 km away and the block headquarters about 40 km away, while only few of the tribals were beneficiaries of the state-sponsored Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana or the national health card,” Tripathy claimed in the petition.
He further alleged that many villages lack basic infrastructure, forcing residents to use cots for transporting patients.
The petition highlighted that due to lack of healthcare facilities, 35-year-old Sunia Juanga, his wife Rashmi (30) and their six-month-old daughter, Nani, died in Jantari village. The couple’s three children are now left orphaned. “There is no database of minor orphans or child marriages of the Juanga tribe living in the district. The negligence and failure of the state authorities in acting over the issue is a serious violation of human rights of the Juanga tribe,” the petition added.
The complainant also alleged that despite having the highest district mineral foundation funds, state authorities have failed to address such needs.
The commission, which passed the order on Feb 28, has asked for the report within four weeks.
The move comes after a human rights activist and lawyer, Radhakanta Tripathy, filed a petition, speaking about the plight of the Juanga tribe living in 114 villages without basic amenities apparently.
Of the 62 tribes in Odisha, Juanga is one of the 13 PVTG tribes in the state and its members mostly live in and around Gonsaika hills areas of Banspal block in Keonjhar district.
The petitioner alleged that due to the apathy, negligence, failure of the tribal welfare department of the state govt and the district administration, the villagers in Keonjhar district, especially the Juanga tribe, have been denied all-weather roads, healthcare and education, leading to several human rights violations. “Healthcare services are non-existent as the nearest primary health centre is 15 km away and the block headquarters about 40 km away, while only few of the tribals were beneficiaries of the state-sponsored Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana or the national health card,” Tripathy claimed in the petition.
He further alleged that many villages lack basic infrastructure, forcing residents to use cots for transporting patients.
The petition highlighted that due to lack of healthcare facilities, 35-year-old Sunia Juanga, his wife Rashmi (30) and their six-month-old daughter, Nani, died in Jantari village. The couple’s three children are now left orphaned. “There is no database of minor orphans or child marriages of the Juanga tribe living in the district. The negligence and failure of the state authorities in acting over the issue is a serious violation of human rights of the Juanga tribe,” the petition added.
The complainant also alleged that despite having the highest district mineral foundation funds, state authorities have failed to address such needs.
