**Bhubaneswar:** National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) Chairman Rameswar Oraon on Saturday held talks with Odisha Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi on the plaguing plights of the RSP displaced tribals even though over six decades have elapsed after the establishment of the public sector unit in the tribal-dominated district of Sundargarh in the state here.
Briefing media soon after the meeting at the State Secretariat here, Oraon said, “A myriad of problems of the Rourkela displaced tribals are still prevalent and today I discussed about the recommendations sent earlier in our report to the Odisha Government”.
He elaborated that most of them have not yet been compensated duly.
“Hence, it was decided that after a thorough enquiry the compensation deposited in the Treasury will be disbursed to the eligible persons with interest amount,” Oraon informed.
On the land issue, it has been found that out of the initial 10 acres acquired, 7 acres unsued was returned, but the balance 3 acres have been still under the custody of Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) surrounded by boundary wall which is to be investigated into, the NCST Chairman said.
The third issue was if at all the displaced persons were given land, it was at 150 km far Deogarh district and amazingly there is no land left to be given to the displaced as the concerned Tehsildar there said, Oraon added.
“Hence, it has been decided that a fresh inspection will be initiated by the State Government and land will be allotted to the displaced persons either in Sundargarh district itself or in Deogarh district.
On the Kandhamal killings of five innocent villagers, the NCST Chairman said, “We’d written to the Odisha Government that firing done by the police was not justified”.
“Let the SIT probe report come, the future course of action will be taken”, he commented.
In today’s meeting the sensitive issue was also discussed as well as the steps taken by the State Government on the killing of five innocent people by security forces at Gumudumaha village in Kandhamal district on July 8.
Even the sensitive issue of malnutrition deaths of many malnourished Juang tribe children of Nagada village in Jajpur district was also discussed at the meeting, the NCST Chairman said.
