Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a conditional summon to Rayagada Collector in connection with the case of Kerandi villagers under Hataseshakhal panchayat walking 6 kilometres for rice and other facilities.
The commission has issued this summon and directed to appear before it on January 11, 2023, for neglecting to submit the action report. According to the conditional summon, if the District Collector submits the report by January 4, 2023, there will be no need to appear in person.
Reportedly, on February 23, 2022, a regional channel carried the news about the plight of the villagers. Human rights activist Dillip Kumar Das of Bhawanipatna filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission regarding the problems of lack of roads, no schools, no medical services, and no access to the hospital for the delivery of pregnant women.
After the complaint, a case was registered by the Commission. It issued two notices to the Rayagada District Collector and sought a report. The first notice was issued on April 28, 2022 and the second notice on June 6, 2022. But since the District Collector has not given an answer till date, the Commission has issued a summon.
It is pertinent to mention that 31 tribal families are living in Kerandi village on the banks of Nagavali river River. As the road to the village has not been constructed, the villagers are traveling through hilly and clay roads. As there is no school in the village, the children are going to Hataseshakhal School, which is 6 km away, by jumping the river.
Similarly, children and pregnant women of the village cannot get food due to lack of anganwadi center. Beneficiaries continue to go to Hataseshakhal Panchayat for allowances and PDS supplies. Since there is no regular road to the village, ambulances cannot come. As there is no tubewell or clean drinking water project in the village, the water of Hataseshakhal river is quenching the thirst of the villagers.
