New Delhi, 25th July, 2013

The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo-motu cognizance of a media report that one-room houses of Khadia and Mankidia Government colony in Kendumundi village, District Mayurbhanj, Odisha neither have windows nor the electricity. About 38 families are residing there and they all feel suffocated inside the houses.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the press report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of right to live with dignity and issued notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Odisha, calling for reports within four weeks.

As per the media report, since the colony was built, several new houses have been added, but the absence of windows remains a common feature. Though the Primary Health Center, barely 100 meters away, has an electricity connection, but the multipurpose center, which is also used as primary school, does not have any. The colony constructed settle the peripatetic Mankidias at one place, who moved around in forest in search of monkeys.

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