Keonjhar: The National Human Rights Commission has issued summons for personal appearance of chief secretary for non-compliance of its earlier order expressing displeasure over governmental indifference towards the plight of people displaced due to the Kanpur irrigation project in Keonjhar district.

The human rights watchdog asked the chief secretary to appear before it in person on 14 May under Section 13 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. The rights commission also deputed its special rapporteur to investigate the case and furnish the fact-finding report within eight weeks.

Earlier, acting on a petition moved by rights activist Radhakant Tripathy, the rights panel had warned the state government of coercive action if the government agency does not paid heed to its directions.

The petition stated: "The government is still silent on resettlement of people who are getting displaced due to the irrigation project. Rehabilitation of the affected people do not seem be on government's agenda. Lack of basic infrastructure and deprivation of bare necessities of life is a disturbing feature in the area wherein the poverty stricken tribal and Dalit villagers would be rendered homeless following the gross absence of resettlement and social security scheme for the would-be-oustees."

"No comprehensive report has been prepared with regard to the land acquisition in accordance to rehabilitation and resettlement policy formulated by the government. The district administration is yet to convene the rehabilitation and peripheral development advisory committee meeting to address the basic human rights of the would-be-oustees," the petition said.

The construction in the Kanpur Irrigation Project over the Baitatarni at Basudevpurunder village of Joda block in Keonjhar started in July last year. However, the construction had to be stopped midway following protest by land losers, who had demanded better compensation packages. Around 3,557 people living in 16 villages are being affected by the project.

The project was conceived more than three decades back. The foundation of the project was laid by three CMs - Biju Patnaik, J. B. Patnaik and present chief minister Naveen Patnaik in 2003-04. People's protest over compensation and rehabilitation plan had put brakes on the project.