Annual Report - National Human Rights Commission

Internally Displaced Persons
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4. Action against Supervisory Staff Responsible for Delay in Opening of ‘SLUICE’ Gate.
– The Commission is not satisfied with the progress of departmental proceedings initiated
against one Superintending Engineer (Civil), two Executive Engineers and one Assistant
Engineer (civil) for professional negligence, which had aggravated the impact of the
floods in Keonjhar town and Bhadrak municipality area. Action against these officers
was initiated after the Commission expressed its dismay over the decision of the State
Government to treat the matter as closed after punishing a junior engineer. It has been
appropriately conveyed to the Government. The Commission has been informed that the
departmental proceedings are at the final stage.
5. Expansion of Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) - Following the Commission’s
recommendations, the State Government has formed a specialized outfit called Orissa
Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) within the Orissa State Armed Police to take up
the restoration of essential services like power, water, telephone-communication etc. in
the wake of natural disaster. Starting with three battalions initially, these units are now
available in 5 out of a total of 8 Armed Police Battalions of Orissa. These have been
strategically located at Balasore, Cuttack, Chatrapur, Jharsuguda and Koraput. It is
proposed to create 3 more units of ODRAF to be stationed at Charbatia, Bhubaneshwar
and Rangamatia.
c] Monitoring of Post Earthquake Measures In Gujarat
11.11 The Commission took suo-motu cognizance of the national calamity that arose from
the devastating earthquake, which hit large areas in the State of Gujarat on 26-01-2001. Keeping
in mind the precedent of monitoring of relief and rehabilitation work in the super
cyclone-affected areas and the generally perceived efficacy of the Commission’s intervention
in Orissa, the Commission engaged itself in this task in Gujarat in the aftermath of devastating
earthquake.
11.12 In order to monitor closely the follow-up action taken by the State Governments to
impact its directions, the Commission set up a Group consisting of Shri PGJ Nampoothiri, Special
Rapporteur, NHRC; Shri Gagan Sethi, Managing Trustee of Jan Vikas Trust; Smt. Annie Prasad,
President of Kutch Mahila Sangathan and Prof. Anil Gupta, IIM, Ahmedabad.
11.13 The Special Rapporteur submitted a preliminary report of the Group in February, 2003
regarding the monitoring of the relief of persons disabled in the earthquake. A detailed report
from the Special Rapporteur was received during the period under report. The highlights of the
report are as under :-
(i) There are several complaints of irregular payments to widows due to inadequacy funds
at the disposal of District Officers.
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