Vedanta's Orissa mining project courts trouble
2007-02-17 12:39:31 Source : Moneycontrol.com
Tribal villages are up in arms against Vedanta's Bauxite Mining Project in Kalahandi. And the battle for its bauxite rich - Nyomgiri mountain - is heating up. CNBC-TV18 reports.
When the tribals in Lanjigarh first heard about the setting up of a Rs 4500 crore project in their forests, they were relieved and happy. The Vedanta unit, they hoped, would bring them economic development and employment. Soon, Anganbadi's came up in many villages and children were provided free education and food.
But now, about three years later, as the projects stands completed and enters its trial phase, harsh realities are sinking in. Barely 60 people from the 2000 villages in the district have been employed by Vedanta.
Vedanta says it employs a total of 450 people of which 70% are from Orissa. People from the villages where the unit is set up have been rehabiliated, but they are still struggling to find employment.
Tribals may not share that optimism and so they are against the company's mining project on Nyomgiri mountain in this region. That mining site is also home for a 100 villages and so, the battle has now reached the Court.
The Supreme Court will decide who will win the battle for the bauxite rich Nyomgiri mountain. But in the meantime, Vedanta has gone ahead and is exploring the possibility of five more mining sites here in this region in Kalahandi.
Despite that, many hopes are pinned on the Court's verdict. And the tribals here hope they will be the gainers in this battle for development.
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