NHRC Special Rapporteur to probe farmer deaths

NHRC Special Rapporteur to probe farmer deaths

1. The National Human Rights Commission has directed East Zone Special Rapporteur to conduct a detailed probe into incidences of farmers’ suicide in Odisha. The order comes in the backdrop of a plea which alleged that 30 debt-ridden farmers in 12 districts of Odisha committed suicide during November-December 2015 due to crop failure.
2. Special Rapporteur is a title given to an individual who is working on behalf of NHRC who works either a region specific mandate or on thematic issues pertaining to the human rights.
3. The National Human rights Commission (NHRC) is a statutory body. It was established under the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993. The Act was amended in 2006 (Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Act, 2006). NHRC deals with promotion and protection of human rights.
4. Human Rights are the rights relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual guaranteed by the Constitution or embodied in the International Covenants and enforceable by courts in India.