Garvita Odia
Bhubaneswar,10 February, 2026: The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has directed the state government to constitute a high-level inquiry committee within four weeks to probe serious procedural lapses and alleged human rights violations in relocation of villages from the Satkosia Tiger Reserve in Angul district. The Commission flagged irregularities in the preparation and publication of enumeration lists, cut-off dates were arbitrarily fixed, objections were ignored, eligible persons were excluded and ineligible persons were included without proper verification. It observed that compensation and ex-gratia payments were in many cases disbursed without proper valuation of houses, land, trees, livestock and other assets, causing grave hardship to displaced families.
The Commission has also ordered that officers responsible for the violations be identified and that departmental as well as criminal action be recommended wherever warranted. The directions were issued while acting on complaints filed by residents of Bhurukundi, Asanbahal, Kataranga, Tuluka, Tikarapada, Gopalpur and other adjoining villages, who alleged that their basic human rights were violated due to irregularities in the relocation process.The Commission also noted that several affected habitations are revenue villages or contain revenue settlements, and in such cases displacement cannot be treated on par with forest villages alone.
Recommending the constitution of a multi-departmental inquiry committee, the OHRC directed the Government of Odisha to form a high-level panel within four weeks comprising the Secretary of the Forest and Environment Department, along with the Secretaries of the ST and SC Development Department, Revenue and Disaster Management Department and Law Department. The committee will also include an independent expert with knowledge of wildlife law, the Forest Rights Act, 2006 and rehabilitation policy, to be nominated by the government. The Commission has asked the Chief Secretary to decide who will head the inquiry committee and to submit a compliance report regarding its formation within six weeks.
