Important Intervention

Notice over reported de-recognition of degrees
given by the KSOU, Mysore
The National Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to the Secretary, Education, Government of Karnataka on the basis of a public grievance letter that the future of about 9 lakh students is at stake due to the reported decision of the University Grants Commission, UGC to de-recognize the courses offered by the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), Mysore outside its territorial jurisdiction after 2012-13. The Commission has also asked the UGC to inform about the status of the recognition of the courses offered by the KSOU.
The Commission has observed that it is an unfortunate situation for the students, who, despite having degrees from a duly recognized University, are being subjected to cruelty in a way due to the lack of clarity in the matter. It amounts to violation of their Right to Education and Equality as their future is at stake due to the proposed de-recognition of some KSOU courses by the UGC after 2012-13.

Rs. 3 lakh to the six victims of mishap at Kudankulam Plant
The National Human Rights Commission's persistence ensured that the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) paid Rs. 50 thousand each as relief to six workers, who suffered burn injuries due to the lack of safety measures while maintaining its Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) in Tamil Nadu on the 14th May, 2014. This is in addition to the free treatment and other rehabilitation measures extended by the company to them.
The Commission has observed that the nature of the work in nuclear power projects does not allow any laxity on the part of the authorities in the maintenance of safety standards, which in the instant case, as pointed out by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, resulted in the accident at the KKNPP. The Commission while appreciating the relief and rehabilitation measures held that these cannot be adequately compensated through bearing the cost of treatment or paying wages for the period of absence from duty. The Commission had taken cognizance of the matter on the 28th May, 2014 on the basis of a media report published on the 15th May, 2014.

Notices over hazardous radiations from
mobile phone towers
The National Human Rights Commission has issued notices to the Union Ministries of Communications and Information Technology and Health, through their Secretaries, calling for reports in the wake of allegations in a complaint that due to an imperfect and illogical Government order, the mobile operators are violating safe radiation range and are erecting towers in thickly populated residential areas thereby exposing people to harmful radiations.
The Commission while issuing notices has observed that it cannot be denied that today the virtual world has encompassed every aspect of human life. In such a scenario, if the allegations leveled in the complaint are true, the Right to Health and Right to Life of a common man are under serious threat. Government should adopt strategies which ensure that development is done without causing any substantive damage to the life and health of human beings and other living things.
The complainant has mentioned in detail the ill-effects of electro-magnetic radiations by citing various scientific studies and guidelines. Allegedly, even if each of the towers of 11 mobile network companies operating in India does not exceed the radiation limit singularly, the combined radiation range of all these towers, with the advent of 3-G, 4-G etc. far exceed the permissible limits of safety.

Notice over alleged exodus of families from Kairana
The National Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, Government of Uttar Pradesh calling for reports on a complaint alleging that families of a particular religion are leaving Kairana area of Western UP due to the fear of criminals, who enjoyed political patronage. Allegedly, about 250 families had migrated and left their homes. The Commission has observed that the allegations made are serious in nature. It has also directed its DIG (Investigation) to depute a team of officers for a spot enquiry in the matter covering all the allegations made in the complaint and submit a report.