Baripada: Though December 10, today is observed as International Human Rights Day to make global awareness on humanitarian values and strengthen ethics, to safeguard human interest; government gives it a miss, and only non-governmental organisations with private bodies are celebrating this cause and campaign.
Whereas innumerable cases of human rights violation come to fore, understanding of human rights and ethics is still ignorance of the society.
Even in recent past people of poor, destitute, minorities and neglected communities have fallen prey to exploitation and torture by the upper classes.
While Mayurbhanj district often makes the headlines through several incidents of child abuse, exploitation in healthcare services, harassment of mentally-challenged and women, death due to starvation; this time the news of police atrocity has been doing the rounds for the few days.
After the matter came to light, Odisha Human Rights Commission intervened into the infamous death of Chandan Das in police custody at Baripada Town Police Station following which compensation was provided to the family members of the deceased from Police Welfare Fund.
However, the cop who flouted Chandan’s rights has not yet been punished for the atrocity, alleged family members.
Similarly, it is very humiliating to witness mentally-unstable people roaming around the streets due to lack of rehabilitation facilities. They are living a cursed life as there are no apt welfare schemes introduced by the State government and Centre.
As per the survey conducted by a private agency, there are about 748 mentally-retired people in the district and 74 of them roam around Baripada town irrationally. In the above mentioned figure, the numbers of women are more than that of men.
Among them about 30% are within 40 years of age, the survey report stated. Because of the government’s inactivity in this angle, they are being deprived of their basic rights.
Even though many NGO’s are stepping forward to rescue the people suffering from psychological disorders, their interest takes a backseat as there are no governmental schemes for rehabilitation, informed a district official.
Meanwhile, child labour, a rampant epidemic in the district has also raised local concerned as the State government’s ‘Mu Bi Padhibi’ programme has failed miserably.
The district administration conducted raids at different hotels, eateries and auto-repair workshops following which 451 child labourers were rescued and rehabilitated under the programme. The future of many other children is at stake with more than 2,000 child labourers working under dangerous conditions, the report added.
Baripada town alone is the workplace to more than 300 child labourers, it was learnt.
District Social Security Officer Narendra Chandra Bindhani said,”International Human Rights Day has never been observed by the district administration. However, we are initiating efforts to safeguard the basic rights of children and women who are undergoing physical or mental abuse.”
PNN