Rights body urges MP CM to halt demolition of hamlets in Rewa

The Asian Human Right Commission has written a letter to the chief minister, urging him to halt the demolition of Dalit and Tribal Hamlets in Chhipiya and Khaiaha Nala village in Rewa district.

Updated on: Sep 11, 2014, 23:48:45 IST

Hindustan Times | By Ritesh Mishra, Indore/Rewa

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

The Asian Human Right Commission (AHRC) has written a letter to the Madhya Pradesh chief minister, urging him to halt the demolition of Dalit and Tribal Hamlets in Chhipiya and Khaiaha Nala village in Rewa district.

As per letter of AHRC, the local officials are threatening tribal and Dalit families in Chhipiya and Khairaha Nala in Gram Panchayat Kota with forced demolition and eviction.

The families have not been served any written notices and are informed of the threat only by a verbal communiqué. The residents have been settled in the area for more than two decades.

The tenure of their settlement is proved by the fact that they are registered voters and have exercised their voting rights in more than four parliamentary and assembly elections.

The government authorities have also provided the village with two public hand pumps for drinking water. The villagers have also planted more than 250 trees over their tenancy.

Chhipiya has a total population of 321 out of which 282 are children. Similarly, Khairaha Nala has a total population of 287 of which 109 are children.

“The threats come two years after 2012 when the local administration had demolished 3 concrete houses and 5 huts without any prior notice. The issue was taken up both by civil society and media resulting in the Madhya Pradesh Schedule Tribes Commission taking the cognisance of the issue,” said Avinash Pandey , progamme coordinator, AHRC (India).

The letter further states that local vested interests have started conspiring again for evicting the Dalits and Adivasis and gain control of the lands. There are 103 houses and huts in Chhipiya and 61 in Khairaha Nala. The hamlets have no Anganvadi centre as mandated by the Supreme Court. Neither does it has any other facilities.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments.