Another gram sabha met on Thursday, but the verdict was the same. Like four previous villages, Palbari of Kalahandi district too has said a strong ‘no’ to mining in Niyamgiri hills.
A small Dongria Kandha village with 15 voters, Palbari is the fifth and third in Kalahandi district side of Niyamgiri where gram sabha was held as per schedule. Palbari village is located under Lanjigarh block’s Trilochanpur gram panchayat.
On Thursday, 14 voters (seven male and an equal number of female) turned up. The voters asserted their right over Niyamgiri claiming that it is important for them on socio-economic and religious grounds and no company should be allowed to mine bauxite in Niyamgiri.
Additional District Judge-cum-Vigilance Judge of Kalahandi Pramod Kumar Jena was the observer of the gram sabha.
Lok Sabha member from Kalahandi Bhakta Charan Das, who was also present, said the gram sabha was conducted as per provisions of law and without any influence.
“Niyamgiri spreads across 240 sq km area covering 112 Dongria Kandha and the tribals worship Niyamgiri as their protector.
The tribals were very clear in the gram sabha about their opinion against mining in the hills,” he said.
The area comes under Schedule V of the Constitution and Odisha Government should not have gone for mining proposal in Niyamgiri, he added.
“The BJD Government claims to be pro-tribal, but why is it so insistent on mining in Niyamgiri hill despite such strong and emotional protest from the tribal inhabitants,” he wondered.
A good number of anti-industry activists also attended the gram sabha at Palbari on Thursday.
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