annual report print final.qxd - Asian Centre for Human Rights

INDIA HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2005 Haryana
the intervening period between his
“retirement” and re-instatement. They
also delayed his wages for about three
months after he had joined the duty
again. 26
VI. Internally Displaced Persons
The State government of Haryana has
taken little measures to rehabilitate the
persons who were displaced by industrial
projects in Panipat district.
Pollution caused by the Tau Devi Lal
Thermal Power Station in Panipat
reportedly displaced over 10,000 residents
of the five villages of Khukhrana, Sutana,
Jatal, Aasnkala and Asankhurd in the
vicinity of the plant. The release of the
huge quantity of fly ash waste by the
thermal plant has been polluting air,
groundwater, agricultural land and
atmosphere. It has resulted in serious
health hazards like asthma, skin and eye
diseases. After 20 years of the plant’s
functioning, hundreds of tonnes of ash
waste up to 30 feet high have been
collected in the dumping ground. Many
villagers have migrated to other places
without any compensation. The situation
will further worsen as two more units of
250 MW capacity each will start
functioning. 27
In September 2004, the displaced
families of Bohli village in Panipat
district, whose thousands of acres of land
was acquired by Indian Oil Corporation
Limited to set up a refinery about a
decade ago requested the Chief Justice of
the Punjab and Haryana High Court to
constitute a committee to look into their
rehabilitation. Over one-fourth of the 483
displaced families of Bohli village were
yet to be rehabilitated in New Bohili
village, especially carved out for them.
The basic facilities have not been
provided to even those families in New
Bohli. The then Chief Secretary of
Haryana had reportedly assured the
displaced persons on 12 November 1992
that at least one person of each displaced
family would be provided job in the
refinery but it has not been implemented.
The PIL filed before the High Court three
years ago has been pending
determination. 28
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