The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) team has emphasized the need for timely and accountable execution of the assurances and reiterated the importance of aligning rehabilitation efforts for Polavaram displaced people, with national policies and international human rights standards. T
The Commission assured the villagers that their grievances would be formally recorded and pursued with the concerned authorities to ensure justice and dignity for all displaced persons. A team from the NHRC, comprising Member Smt. Vijaya Bharati Sayani,and Registrar (Law) Indrajeet Kumar, conducted a field visit to the rehabilitation colonies associated with the Polavaram Project in East Godavari district.
They tried to assess the human rights situation of displaced communities and review the implementation of Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) measures in accordance with statutory and policy frameworks. During the visit, hundreds of affected villagers assembled to present their grievances before the NHRC team.
The key concerns raised include, non-receipt of the R&R package by several eligible families and poor maintenance and deteriorating conditions of houses in the resettlement colonies. They also mentioned absence of basic civic amenities such as graveyards and reliable water supply, lack of land allotment for non-patta beneficiaries and failure to provide “land in lieu of land” for patta holders as per R&R norms.
Senior officers associated with the Polavaram Project were also engaged in dialogue with the NHRC team and the affected villagers. In response to the grievances, the authorities over provision of graveyards in the rehabilitation colonies within a period of two months and installation of water tanks and resolution of water supply issues within two months.
They also assured immediate allotment of land to eligible beneficiaries, including both patta and non-patta holders, nomination of designated officers to conduct quarterly inspections of the housing infrastructure and ensure maintenance and upkeep and commitment to expedite pending R&R entitlements and improve transparency in implementation.
Later, the NHRC team met with the Chief Secretary of the Government at Vijayawada. They stressed the urgent need for finalisation of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) governing eviction processes to ensure humane, lawful, and rights-compliant displacement. They deplored over instances of non-compliance with previous directions issued by the NHRC
During the deliberations, the NHRC team reiterated the importance of aligning state actions with constitutional guarantees and international human rights standards. In response, the Chief Secretary assured to finalise the SOP on eviction in consultation with relevant stakeholders and in adherence to NHRC recommendations. He also assured full compliance with NHRC directions, including timely submission of reports.
