Kalahandi tribals say no to Vedanta Aluminum Limited again

The Times of India, July 25, 2013
BHAWANIPATNA: The second gram sabha at Kunakadu in Kalahandi district on Wednesday was a repeat of the first at Tadijhola with 21 villagers rejecting Vedanta Aluminum Limited's (VAL) bid to mine Niyamgiri Hills in one voice.

The 21 voters, all belonging to Scheduled Tribes, argued that mining at the hills would negatively impact their life and impinge on their cultural and religious rights. Among them 12 were wome. One man was absent. Kunakadu is situated about 18 km from Lanjigarh where VAL has its alumina refinery. Around 10 families reside in the village.

Ward member Sulochana Goud began the proceedings of the meeting in the presence of additional district judge (vigilance) Pramod Kumar Jena and tehsildar (Lanjigarh) Kailash Sahu. "We won't support mining here," said Goud.

"We worship Niyamgiri and revere it like Jagannath in Puri. Bauxite mining will harm our religious sentiments," said Tangru Majhi.

A woman voter, Rale Majhi, added, "We will never part with our land. Allow us our peace."

The villagers also denied having sent two community claims by post to the district administration and demanded that these be cancelled. "They objected to discussing the two claims in gram sabha," the tehsildar said. But he could not name the villagers, who supposedly made the claims.

Following a Supreme Court directive on April 18, the state government invited fresh claims under Forest Rights Act, 2006, within six weeks of the notification for gram sabha.

Activists of adjoining village and members of NGOs were also present at the gram sabha, which concluded peacefully amid heavy security. Two gram sabhas in Rayagada district had also voted against mining.

The third gram sabha in Kalahandi district will be held at Palobori on Thursday. "Fifteen voters, eight women and seven men, are likely to attend the meeting," said BDO (Lanjigarh) Prabeer Kumar Nayak.