NHRC issues directions and recommendations for relief of cyclone affected in Orissa
The National Human Rights Commission has ordered that certain specific measures be taken in connection with the cyclone which devastated Orissa.
In its proceedings of 4 November 1999, the Commission requested its special representative, stationed at Bhubaneswar, to keep a watch on the system of dispensation of relief measures to the affected people. The Commission also deputed its Secretary General and Special Rapporteur to visit the affected areas and interact with the concerned senior government officials.
Based on their report the Commission, on 13 December 1999, directed that the State Government should complete the enumeration of the casualties and publish a list in each Gram Panchayat area so as to correctly identify the dead, provide the right compensation and assistance to the survivors and secure the rights of those below the poverty line. A Food for Work Programme should be organised to provide wages in terms of grains (rice) through a special dispensation system. Special feeding centers should be organised for those who are old or incapable of physical work.
A district-wise census must be undertaken to get correct information on all widows and senior citizens rendered destitute on account of the death of earning members of their families. Their rights must be secured by covering them under the National Old Age Pension Scheme and the government should get additional sanction for the pensioners under the Government of India’s Rural Development Department’s Scheme. Those that cannot be covered under this scheme should be provided relief under the State’s Pension Scheme.
The State Government should also arrange to enumerate the children who have been orphaned and open orphanages to provide relief.
The Orissa government should undertake on an immediate basis, the construction of at least 40 more cyclone shelters in the cyclone-prone areas and complete the construction before 30 June 2000. An assessment should also be made as to the total number of shelters required in the entire area.
The State Government has been directed to start 12 sanctioned ICDS Schemes, which are have not started yet (out of the total 139 sanctioned schemes) in the affected areas.
The State Government shall also publicise through the media the entitlement to various forms of relief and compensation decided by the Government. The rehabilitation work must be based on an action plan with clearly indicated financial implications. A white paper on the same should be published in order to inform and educate the affected citizens of their rights to relief of different kinds.
Appropriate close monitoring of expenditure at district and state level should be set up. NHRC proposes to closely monitor the Long Term Rehabilitation Programme, specifically looking to the relief in the categories of orphaned children, destitute women and senior citizens, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other marginalised sections. The Commission has directed the State Government to associate its Special Rapporteur in a State level monitoring committee to monitor, on behalf of NHRC, the progress of the work being done.
The Commission has also recommended that the State Government establish a qualified body of personnel, well trained in the restoration of essential services affected by natural calamities. It should move the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India for an immediate and special sanction for satellite link communication under the scheme Polnet, to cover the cyclone-prone coastal areas of Orissa.
Ham Radio Clubs should be started, preferably in schools, with the help and advice of the Department of Electronics, Government of India, in cyclone prone districts. Vigil should be continued in the area of safe drinking water, and maintenance of standards of sanitation, to avoid any serious health problems in the affected areas.
The State Government shall consider initiation of departmental action against any officer found guilty of serious professional lapse or negligence to prevent human rights violation in terms of Section 12 (a) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 and report the same to the Commission. The State Government shall also inquire through an expert body to establish whether there has been any negligence on the part of concerned public servants in the delay in opening of the gates at Ramel Dam and the non-opening of the gates of Vidyadharpur Barrage on Hathgarh Dam, which led to the aggravation of the impact of floods in Keonjhar Town and Bhadrak Municipal area.
In its proceedings of 4 November 1999, the Commission requested its special representative, stationed at Bhubaneswar, to keep a watch on the system of dispensation of relief measures to the affected people. The Commission also deputed its Secretary General and Special Rapporteur to visit the affected areas and interact with the concerned senior government officials.
Based on their report the Commission, on 13 December 1999, directed that the State Government should complete the enumeration of the casualties and publish a list in each Gram Panchayat area so as to correctly identify the dead, provide the right compensation and assistance to the survivors and secure the rights of those below the poverty line. A Food for Work Programme should be organised to provide wages in terms of grains (rice) through a special dispensation system. Special feeding centers should be organised for those who are old or incapable of physical work.
A district-wise census must be undertaken to get correct information on all widows and senior citizens rendered destitute on account of the death of earning members of their families. Their rights must be secured by covering them under the National Old Age Pension Scheme and the government should get additional sanction for the pensioners under the Government of India’s Rural Development Department’s Scheme. Those that cannot be covered under this scheme should be provided relief under the State’s Pension Scheme.
The State Government should also arrange to enumerate the children who have been orphaned and open orphanages to provide relief.
The Orissa government should undertake on an immediate basis, the construction of at least 40 more cyclone shelters in the cyclone-prone areas and complete the construction before 30 June 2000. An assessment should also be made as to the total number of shelters required in the entire area.
The State Government has been directed to start 12 sanctioned ICDS Schemes, which are have not started yet (out of the total 139 sanctioned schemes) in the affected areas.
The State Government shall also publicise through the media the entitlement to various forms of relief and compensation decided by the Government. The rehabilitation work must be based on an action plan with clearly indicated financial implications. A white paper on the same should be published in order to inform and educate the affected citizens of their rights to relief of different kinds.
Appropriate close monitoring of expenditure at district and state level should be set up. NHRC proposes to closely monitor the Long Term Rehabilitation Programme, specifically looking to the relief in the categories of orphaned children, destitute women and senior citizens, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other marginalised sections. The Commission has directed the State Government to associate its Special Rapporteur in a State level monitoring committee to monitor, on behalf of NHRC, the progress of the work being done.
The Commission has also recommended that the State Government establish a qualified body of personnel, well trained in the restoration of essential services affected by natural calamities. It should move the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India for an immediate and special sanction for satellite link communication under the scheme Polnet, to cover the cyclone-prone coastal areas of Orissa.
Ham Radio Clubs should be started, preferably in schools, with the help and advice of the Department of Electronics, Government of India, in cyclone prone districts. Vigil should be continued in the area of safe drinking water, and maintenance of standards of sanitation, to avoid any serious health problems in the affected areas.
The State Government shall consider initiation of departmental action against any officer found guilty of serious professional lapse or negligence to prevent human rights violation in terms of Section 12 (a) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 and report the same to the Commission. The State Government shall also inquire through an expert body to establish whether there has been any negligence on the part of concerned public servants in the delay in opening of the gates at Ramel Dam and the non-opening of the gates of Vidyadharpur Barrage on Hathgarh Dam, which led to the aggravation of the impact of floods in Keonjhar Town and Bhadrak Municipal area.