Dr. S. R. Nayak hears complains related to human rights violation

Dr. S. R. Nayak hears complains related to human rights violation

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, June 12, 2012 : Nadoja Dr. S. R. Nayak, chairman of the State Human Rights Commission, travelled all the way from Bangalore to Rajatadri, the new DC office complex in Manipal, around 5kms from Udupi, to hear public grievances and received just six complaints.

This is not at all surprising because people have to spend hundreds of rupees just to travel to Manipal to complain against human rights violation as there is no bus service to Rajatadri.

 

 

One of the complainants was Shashidhar Shetty, former president of the Yellur Panchayat, who complained that the UPCL has been polluting drinking water in wells around it for the past two years, as a result of which well water has become salty and undrinkable. He further complained that people who drank water from these wells developed all sorts of health disorders such as cough, skin disorders, asthma, and others and animals that drank the water had died. The water is so polluted that it cannot be used to bathe small children. He mentioned in his complaint that all complaints regarding this issue submitted so far to government departments and the Zilla Panchayath have been ignored. Dr. Nayak, who heard this complaint, asked him to submit his complaint through the CEO of the Zilla Panchayat within one week.

Bharath Kumar also lodged a complaint stating that the UPCL has utterly destroyed the lives of traditional fishermen in the region. There are 360 families of traditional fishermen in this area, and 302 of them could no longer go fishing. In 2010, the DC’s office had directed the UPCL to compensate these fishermen, but the company has not paid a single paisa in compensation yet. In response to this complaint, the DC’s team said that solving such issues is extremely difficult, but they would find solutions for these problems in the near future.

Richard Lewis of Padu Tonse Kemmannu lodged a complaint, in which he stated that he had given up his land to the GP for the construction of a road, but the GP was now demanding land from him to construct a bridge. He complained that he was being unfairly harassed.

Rafiq of Balkudru Hangarkatte complained that he had the CRZ’s approval to construct a house and has also obtained a NoC for electricity connection, but the Airody GP was needlessly harassing him.

Sadashiva K. Amin, an advocate by profession, complained that they had already appealed to the court in 2007 regarding unfair policy in the recruitment of Home Guards for the district. Although the court had referred the matter to the IGP and the DGP, nothing has been done about it.

Some fishermen complained that their children were not getting seats in school as officers concerned were demanding to see specific records. Responding to this complaint, Dr. Nayak said that children between six and fourteen had the right to get compulsory and free education and that education should not be denied to children. He directed the ZP CEO to look into the matter.

Later, Dr. Nayak told reporters that he has received as many as 33,064 complaints of human rights violation ever since he took over in Oct 2007. He also said that the Human Rights Commission registered 6065 cases independently from news reports, and by March 2012, the commission had registered 579 cases of which 363 cases were solved and 216 cases were still pending. Of the 1588 cases registered from DK, 952 cases have been solved and 536 cases are still pending.

He also said that rain harvesting will be done to solve the district’s drinking water problem and suggested that the Udupi municipality should give top priority to the water harvesting project.

Regarding complaints about lack of bus service to Rajatadri, he said that not providing bus service to the people is a violation of human rights.

He directed the police department to take action against trucks transporting fish, which spilled dirty water all along the roads and caused several road accidents.

The additional DC and the DC were not present for the meeting because they were away on official duty regarding MLC elections. S. A. Prabhakar Sharma, CEO of the ZP; Sadashiva Prabhu, assistant commissioner for Kundapur; and Additional SP Venkateshappa were present.