Times of India, Jan 20, 2011
BHUBANESWAR: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) will soon send its special rapporteur to study displacement of people at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district due to Vedanta's refinery plant and the problems faced by them.
The commission took the decision at its two-day camp sitting here in response to petitions filed on the matter. "In the matter of Vedanta, the commission took a strong note of the land acquisition policy of the state and directed that all the affected persons should be rehabilitated. The commission asked its special rapporteur to examine the action taken report of the state government," a NHRC release issued here said.
NHRC member Satyabrata Pal said: "We have received two complaints on Vedanta, one on displacement of people at its alumina refinery plant and another on the mining issue. Since the mining issue is all but put at rest for now, we are only examining the complaints relating to the refinery and displacement caused by it." The NHRC heard a total of 52 cases, including complaints on Tata Steel project at Kalinga Nagar and that of Posco's near Paradip on which the commission directed the state government to "submit a comprehensive report on rehabilitation and compensation status of displaced persons".
NHRC chairman K G Balakrishnana told mediapersons that Orissa should take utmost care to safeguard human rights in view of the emerging industrial activities.
"Orissa is aiming at massive industrialization. We are apprehensive about whether human rights will be violated when such massive industrialization takes place."
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