NHRC seeks ATR on condition of rural populace in Keonjhar

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought an Action Taken Report (ATR) from the Keonjhar District Collector on the deplorable quality of life of rural populace in the district who are deprived of basic education, healthcare, employment, and essential amenities.

- POST NEWS NETWORK

Acting on a petition filed by human rights activist and Supreme Court lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy, the NHRC passed the order, highlighting the precarious living conditions and deprivation faced by residents in 781 villages across the district.

Tripathy stated that although Keonjhar generates substantial revenue for the state, its people continue to live in abject poverty. The northern district holds vast reserves of iron ore, chromite, limestone, dolomite, nickel, and granite. According to District Mineral Foundation (DMF) reports, Keonjhar has an estimated 2,555 million tonnes of iron ore reserves, expected to last for another 60 years at the current extraction rate of 55 million tonnes annually.

Despite the district's mineral wealth, the tribal (44.5%) and Scheduled Caste (11.62%) populations face ongoing political, social, cultural, economic, and environmental marginalisation. Mining companies, Tripathy contended, continue to accumulate wealth by displacing and neglecting these vulnerable communities.