Ensure basic rights of tribals: NCST to Odisha government

The Indian Express | March 20, 2023

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has asked the Odisha government to ensure basic human rights and justice to tribals residing in more than 45 villages bordering West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.

Taking cognisance of a petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy, the apex panel for tribal rights has issued notice to chief secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena seeking a detailed reply within 15 days.

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India & World Bank signs loan agreement for construction of Green National Highway Corridors Project in 4 States

National News, March 16, 2023

India and the World Bank have signed a loan agreement for the construction of the Green National Highway Corridors Project in four States. These States are Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. The agreement has been signed for the construction of 781 kilometers in these States, with loan assistance of 500 million dollars.

In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said, the total project cost is over seven thousand 662 crore rupees. He said, the objective of the Green National Highway Corridors Project is to demonstrate safe and green highways keeping in view climate resilience and use of green technologies.

Drop pumped storage hydroelectric projects granted to various private entities in Fifth Schedule region, HRF urges Andhra Pradesh government

The Hindu | Jan 17, 2023

‘Adivasis in these areas have been deliberately kept in the dark’

The Human Rights Forum (HRF) demanded that the State Government drop the pumped storage hydroelectric Projects (PSPs) granted to various private entities in the Fifth Schedule region of Alluri Sitarama Raju and Parvathipuram-Manyam districts.

Speaking to The Hindu here on Tuesday, V.S. Krishna, HRF AP and TS Coordination Committee member, said that there are proposals for four PSPs in the Fifth Schedule region that have been cleared by the State Government recently.

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Cancel permission to hydro power projects: Former Union secy to govt

The New Indian Express | Dec 19, 2022

Sarma said the government seems to have not taken nod from the National Commission for STs before taking the decision on the projects.

VISAKHAPATNAM: Former Union Energy secretary EAS Sarma has said the consent given by the State Cabinet for hydro-pumped storage projects at Kurukutti and Karrivalasa in Parvathipuram Manyam and at Yerravaram in Alluri Sitarama Raju district is in ‘gross violation’ of the Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act and the Forest Rights Act.

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NHRC notice to the Government of Andhra Pradesh over reported pleading by of 32 bonded labourers for their rescue from a brick kiln in Anantapur district (19.11.2019)

NHRC Delhi, 19th November, 2019

The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports narrating the painful story of 32 bonded labourers from the State of Odisha pleading for their rescue from a brick kiln at Kanumpalli Cross in Garladinne mandal of the Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh. As mentioned in the news report, the victim labourers sent out an SOS to their relatives and friends back home for their rescue from travails they were undergoing for the past several months.

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