A high-level inquiry committee was established by the Odisha government to look into a number of claims related to the village relocation procedure in the Satkosia Tiger Reserve in the Angul district. The state government established a five-person panel led by Arabinda Kumar Padhee, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Department, in response to a February 9 order from the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC).
The committee also includes Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma, Principal Secretary of the Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Department; Pabitra Mohan Samal, Principal Secretary of the Law Department; and B. Parameswaran, Commissioner-cum-Secretary to the Odisha government for ST & SC Development and Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare Department, according to a notification released by the department on August 17. The state government also appointed retired IFS official Anup Nayak, a former member secretary of the Union National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), as an independent expert with expertise in wildlife law, the Forest Rights Act of 2006, and rehabilitation strategy in compliance with the OHRC ruling.
The committee has been tasked with reviewing the Satkosia Tiger Reserve’s village-by-village evacuation procedure, with the exception of Raiguda village. It will review and confirm adherence to key statutory laws, such as the Forest Rights Act of 2006, the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) recommendations, as part of its mandate. In addition, the committee will determine if beneficiaries were improperly included or excluded from the relocation process and evaluate how well impacted households were compensated and rehabilitated.
In accordance with its mandate, it will also suggest suitable remedial actions, such as paying differential compensation, restoring rights, and providing livelihood assistance where necessary. Additionally, if there are any procedural anomalies or infractions, the committee will identify the officials involved and, if required, suggest appropriate departmental and criminal action. The committee has been instructed to finish the investigation and provide the state government with a comprehensive report within six weeks of the group’s formation.
