K’handi MP raises Niyamgiri mining issue in LS

The Pioneer, May 7, 2010
PNS, Bhawanipatna

Kalahandi Congress MP Bhakta Charan Das has yet again voiced on the Niyamgiri mining issue in the Parliament urging the Union Government not to give forest clearance saying that the Government of Odisha may be asked to go for other substitute.

He was participating in a debate on the National Green Tribunal Bill, 2009 on April 30 where he expressed his support on the Bill and said that the UPA Government has brought the bill in the interest of environment and the suffering tribal populace dwelling in the forest region.

Bhakta said that the Bill clearly states that the decision would be taken by the majority and naturally when the majority takes the decision, nobody can tamper the decisions taken in the interest of the environment.

Expressing concerns about the climate change, he also voiced against the relentless mining where no compensatory plantations have been done so far following which the ecological imbalance has gone to the extent of causing global warming.

He accused the State Government and private companies of series of violations in this regard saying he had recently pointed out some of the violations committed by the companies to the Environment and Forests Minister for which the Minister has taken the matter seriously and not yet given clearance for mining bauxite in Niyamgiri hill.

Expressing the situation of Niyamgiri hill, he said that about 8,000 primitive tribals and more than a lakh of people sustain their livelihood out of traditional earnings from the forest region spread over 240 sq km in Raygada, Gajapati and Kalahandi districts of Odisha which is having 26,000 plants, lots of animals and medicinal plants.

He also alleged that a large number of trees have been felled in Odisha during the last ten years and the environmental damage is caused to the highest extent by the State Government. “Our tribal people could not make any appeal before anybody,” he quipped.

Supporting the bill, he said the tribal have got their rights now to make an appeal before the Tribunal to save their forests, sustainability and future.