Mining leads to poverty: Jairam Ramesh to tribals

Economic Times, Jan 14, 2013
 LANJIGARH:"Mining only leads to greater poverty,"Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister of Rural Developmentexplained to the tribals of Lanjigarh, Odisha at the foothills of the Niyamgiri hills. 

This is the union minister's first visit to the naxal-affected Kalahandi district, a political tinderbox, where tribal interests are ranged against big corporates. Mr Ramesh insisted his visit was part of his agenda to visit all naxal affected districts and fight extremism with increased rural development. 

"Odisha's poverty will not go from mining. The centre government believes agriculture and rural development is what will reduce poverty. 

In fact, mining only grounds that forest rights act had not been followed. Lanjigarh, had hit the national headlines after Congress leader visited the mineralrich tribal district twice in 2008 and 2010. Following Rahul Gandhi's first visit, the environment ministry had refused clearance for the project. 

The young Congress leader, had exhorted tribals in Kalahandi in 2010, "For the tribals of Kalahandi, there is a soldier in Delhi named Rahul Gandhi. My work is not finished, it's begun. Whenever you need me, I am ready to stand by you." Vedanta has spent Rs 10,000 crore for the Lanjigarh project, which includes the expansion the expansion of the 1mt plant. The BJD-led Odisha government has appealed against this decison and the matters being heard by the Supreme Court. The matter comes up again on January 21. 

"Mining can be a boon and a curse. Some people have become very rich from mining and even come to Parliament. .... Unfortunately, our track record has shown that companies, whether PSU's or private ones have neither operated in an environmentally sustainable manner, or socially beneficial manner, displacing lakhs and lakhs of adivasis and not providing adequate compensation of employment," the Union Minister told tribals on Sunday. 

Lanjigarh was already astir on the eve of the Minister's visit. Vedanta had started cutting contract jobs upsetting a section of local population that finds indirect employment. 

It cannot run its refinery any longer without assured bauxite supply, the company led by Anil Agarwal said. 

Vedanta had set up its refinery at the foothills of the Niyamgiri hill, deep in poverty stricken Kalahandi district, drawn mainly by the bauxite deposits around, but failed to convince the tribal population, perticularly the Dongria Konds, to allow mining at Niyamgiri - a hill they consider holy. 

The state is now hurrying up access to alternative nearby deposits.