ROURKELA: The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has once again summoned senior officials of State Government and authorities of the Steel Ministry and SAIL for the next sitting in Delhi on January 16 to address grievances of tribals displaced by Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP).
State Chief Secretary, Secretary Revenue and Disaster Management department, Secretary ST and SC Development department and Sundargarh Collector besides Secretary Union Steel Ministry and RSP Chief Executive Officer (CEO) have been asked to appear in person before NCST Chairman Nand Kumar Sai. They have been directed to appear with relevant documents and report on action taken on the Commission’s recommendations.
Acting on the petition of a displaced tribal Lachu Oram and others, the NCST had held a similar sitting three months back on October 18, 2019. Oram said, the hearing largely focused on surplus and unused land of RSP and what steps should be taken to return surplus land to the original tribal land owners, as recommended by the Commission.
He said this meeting is likely to emphasise on pending employment issues of leftover displaced persons of RSP. For nearly four years, NCST has been constantly taking up the issue of tribal displacement by RSP. Among other things, it has recommended return of surplus land, settling of pending compensation and job issues.
Under pressure from the Commission, the sixth Rehabilitation and Periphery Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) of RSP meeting chaired by Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Northern Division) Temjen Wapang Ao was held in Rourkela on December 21, 2019 after a hiatus of six years.
Subsequently, a sub-committee was formed to effectively address the issues of displaced tribals and periphery development.