NEW DELHI: Intervening in the ongoing farmer protest, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday asked the Centre and governments of Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to file action taken reports on the ongoing stir, stating it has received several complaints with allegations of adverse impact on the industrial units, seriously affecting more than 9,000 micro, medium and large companies.
The rights panel said transportation has also been adversely impacted due to the protest, causing the commuters, patients, physically challenged people and senior citizens misery. Elaborating on the alleged inconvenience, NHRC said there are reports of people having to travel long distances to reach their destinations due to the ongoing agitation.
There is an allegation that there is “breach of the corona protocols by the agitating farmers at the protest sites”, the commission said. There is allegation that the inhabitants are not being allowed to move out of their houses due to the blockade of the passage, it added.
The National Disaster Management Authority, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Health, have been asked to submit reports with respect to the “adverse impact” of farmers agitation on various aspects and observance of Covid Protocols at the protests sites. Since November 25 last year, farmers have been protesting at Singhu and Tikri on Delhi-Haryana borders; Ghazipur on Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border, seeking repeal of three agriculture laws.
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“Since the agitation involves the issue of human rights, whereas the right to agitate in a peaceful manner is also to be respected, the commission needs to take care of various human rights issues,” said NHRC, in a statement. It directed the Institute of Economic Growth to submit a comprehensive report by October 10 after examining the impact of the farmers’ agitation on industrial and commercial activities and and about the protest causing disruption of transport services on commercial and normal consumers, including inconvenience and additional expenditure.
Survey commissioned
The NHRC requested the Delhi School of Social Work to conduct a survey and submit a report, assessing the disruption of livelihood, lives of people due to the protracted agitation