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).
{{/usCountry}}“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).
{{/usCountry}}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.