The Marketing Strategy of Economic Development in Kalahandi

Though I came to know late, if some of you have time please read the article published in Odisha Review titled as "The Marketing Strategy of Economic Development in Kalahandi". You may also give your comment. Thank you.

http://orissa.gov.in/e-magazine/Orissareview/2012/sep/engpdf/september-or-%202012.pdf#page=82

Click here

State Govt. should submit a fresh proposal to center for a HC bench at Bhawanipatna to resolve current impasse during urban poll

Aug 24, 2013

Dear Honorable Chief Minister Mr. Patnaik,

The recent development for a High Court Bench in Western as well as Southern Odisha has caused serious outburst in many districts of Western Odisha.

I like to draw your attention that in response to our earlier letter Prime Minister Office has informed dated on March 10, 2012 that setting up of a Bench of a High Court is considered only if a complete proposal in terms of section 51(2) of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 is received from the State Government concerned, including the consent of the Chief Justice of the High Court and the Governor of the State and also if it satisfies the broad guidelines and criteria recommended by the Jaswant Singh Commission. The matter can be taken up by the Central Government only when a complete proposal is received from the concerned State Government as detailed above. The letter has also added that no proposal for a High Court Bench at Bhawanipatna  for KBK region has been received from the Odisha State Govt.

As per the criteria recommended by the Jaswant Singh Commission Bhawanipatna fits because it is located in a distance above 400 km from the existing High Court at Cuttack and it also located in a backward and remote location.

Political demand of two High Court benches at Sambalpur ot Berhampur as recommended by state Govt. earlier could be irrational as per Jaswant Singh Commission recommendation, as both Sambalpur and Behrampur are well connected with Cuttack: people can return in the same day finishing work in HC Cuttack by train. Moreover, both these locations are in less than 400 km distance from Cuttack. 

High Court benches in any state in India are located at least 320 km away from parent HC seat except Lucknow, which is a state capital and Allahabad being the court since British time. Other HC benches are in state or Union territory capitals. Both Sambalpur and Berhampur are located less than 300 km from Cuttack and are not of state capital or union territory. The present work load in High Court in Cuttack also does not necessitate any additional bench in Odisha, for example, states like Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Bihar etc. are larger and have more work load in their respective existing HC bench than Odisha, thus, additional HC bench in Odisha before any of the above state is illogical as per Jaswant Singh Commission recommendation.

However, as per Jaswant Singh Commission recommendation, KBK region in Odisha has a better chance ascommunication to KBK region in Odisha is poor, backward and located far from existing HC at Cuttack. This region is also considered in the line of special categories states due to hilly, tribal and backward region such as North Eastern states, Himachal Pradesh etc. by planning commission. Therefore, KBK region receives special grant in the line of North Eastern states and Himachal Pradesh for irrigation and other schemes from the central Govt. and planning commission. Earlier HC benches and educational institutes were established in NE states citing this special category status.

Based on special status, long distance, backwardness, tribal population, poverty, hilly region etc. a HC Bench for KBK region comprising many districts in Western and Southern Part of Odisha could bring more success to overcome the present political stalemate during urban poll.

As reported in various newspaper today, Kalahandi Bar Association and all political parties in Kalahandi have come together for HC bench in Kalahandi.

Bhawanipatna is also far away from Cuttack, above 400 km and well connected by SH and NH to all these backward districts in KBK, Kandhamal, Boudh, Gajapati, Sambalpur and Bargarh. It is also centrally located among all these districts.

Considering all these facts, I urge you to kindly take this issue and submit a fresh proposal to the central Govt. for establishing a High Court Bench at Bhawanipatna for KBK-Kandhamal region to resolve the current political deadlock during urban polls across Western and Southern Odisha.

Thank you and with best regards

6000 children died in last five years in Kalahandi

Sambad, Aug 26, 2013

West Odisha gears up for Koshal state fight

The New Indian Express (Bhubaneswar), Aug 25, 2013

The breakdown of talks between the Central Action Committee (CAC) of All Western Odisha Bar Association and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to resolve the High Court bench issue has reinforced the movement for separate Koshal state.

Around 122 organisations have pledged their support to the fight for Koshal state comprising 10 districts of western Odisha besides Athamallik sub-division of Angul district and Western Odisha bandh over the demand on August 26.

Chairman of Advisory Council of Koshal Kranti Dal (KKD) Pramod Mishra said several organisations have expressed their solidarity with the cause and would join the body. Formation of a separate state was the only solution left to remove the regional bias and imbalances, Mishra observed.

Normal Life hit by Balangir bandh

Normal life here was affected by the dawn-to-dusk bandh called in support of the demand for setting up a High Court bench in Balangir on Saturday.

Government offices, business establishments and educational institutions remained closed while bus services were disrupted. Merchants’ Association had given the bandh call in support of the HC bench demand of the lawyers. Similar reports were received from Patnagarh, Kantabanji, Titlagarh and Sindhekela.

Lawyers demand Bench in Kalahandi

Continuing their agitation over the demand for High Court bench in Kalahandi, the members of the Kalahandi Bar Association picketed in front of Bhawanipatna Municipality and NACs of Junagarh and Kesinga.

Due to the agitation on Saturday, work in banks and State Government offices was paralysed and nomination paper for Municipality and NAC elections could not be filed.

Justifying their demand, the members of Kalahandi Bar Association said the bench should be set up in Kalahandi as it fulfils the norms and criteria prescribed by the Jaswant Singh Committee. 

Considering the distance of Kalahandi from the Orissa High Court at Cuttack and Kalahandi being the centrally located area of the KBK region, the bench should be set up in the district, they added.

Panchayat College Campus Gossip

Reported by Sri Anshuman Patra
Dhartiri, Aug 25, 2013

Odisha lawyers demand HC benches across the state

Times of India, Aug 24, 2013
HUBANESWAR: Taking their cue from continuing agitation in Sambalpur and adjoining districts, lawyers from other parts of Odisha have raised demands for high court bench in theirrespective areas.

The development coincided with lawyers in Cuttack observing a day's strike on Friday, opposing establishment of HC bench anywhere in the state.

"Cases piling up in high court can be cleared through appointment of more judges and modernisation of courts. Separate benches in different regions are no solution to the problem. The Orissa high court has 15 judges against the sanctioned strength of 22. Lawyers from all over the state should mount pressure on the government to appoint more judges instead of demanding benches in their areas," said secretary of high court bar association Janmejaya Katakia. Members of Cuttack criminal court bar association, civil bar association, tax bar association and board of revenue bar association also participated in Friday's ceasework agitation.

Lawyers in Rourkela on Friday said they want a HC bench in the Steel City and have nothing to do with their counterparts in Sambalpur. "Like the Balangir bar association, we have been agitating separately for a bench in Rourkela," said Rourkela bar association (RBA) secretary, Sadananda Sahu. He took strong exception to chief minister Naveen Patnaik not inviting them to Saturday's scheduled discussion in Bhubaneswar on the issue. "The decision of central action committee (CAC) is not binding on us nor shall we accept the government's decision on the issue," said RBA president Ramesh Bal.

Reports from Bhawanipatna said lawyers and leaders of political parties on Friday staged demonstration there, demanding a bench in Kalahandi. They threatened to boycott urban polls if the state government fails to meet their demand. "We will boycott the municipality elections and no candidate would further file nomination paper," said Congress leader Santosh Mund. President of Kalahandi bar association Daitari Pradhan told mediapersons that lawyers would boycott the polls as well. Among others, BJD leader Balabhadra Majhi, Bhawanipatna Congress MLA Dushmanta Nayak and BJP district president Debendra Mohanty joined the stir. Lawyers and political parties in Kesinga and Junagarh NACs announced to boycott the urban elections too.

Demand for a bench has also been received from Berhampur where lawyers, boycotting courts for the last four days, on Friday announced to intensify their agitation. "We have convened a meeting on Monday to decide the future course of action on our long-standing demand," said secretary of Ganjam bar association Sitanshu Kumar Panda. He said over 30% cases pending in the high court are from southern Odisha. Panda added lawyers had earlier boycotted courts for about five months in 2008 and called Berhampur bandh on several occasions over the demand. "Berhampur is suitable in every respect for establishment of a HC bench," the association maintained.

20th Annual Function of ELNISI Mission School at Dharamgarh Celebrated

Reported by Sri Anshuman Patra
Dharitri, Aug 24, 2013

NRO BATS FOR CENTRAL MUSEUM IN KALAHANDI

The Pioneer, Aug 20, 2013

Noted academician and Lebanon-based non-resident Odia (NRO) Dr Digambara Patra has urged the Centre to set up a branch of the Indira Gandhi Rastriya Manava Sangrahalay (museum) at Gudahandi on the border of Kalahandi and Nabarangpur districts.

Dr Patra, who is currently working as an Assistant Professor in Chemistry at the American University of Beirut (AOB) in Lebanon and a native of Kalahandi district, has written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Culture Minister Chandresh Kumari Katoch in this regard. Dr Patra said Odisha is one of the richest States in terms of tribal culture and having a maximum number of tribal groups (about 62) in the country. Gudahandi is situated in a tribal and backward pocket having rich history, resources, forest, mountains, medicinal plants, water and indigenous tribal population. This site is famous today for its pictographic pre-historic painting.

Dr Patra further added that the site was discovered in 1946 by the then Archaeological Department of Kalahandi princely State. Out of the total 25 specimens of painting as reported earlier, only a few are available today for evaluation and the rest fading fast. These paintings are found in a number of caves that figures in the foothill zone of Gudahandi. At the proximal top, however, a large number of caves with paintings still remain unexplored. These paintings highlight the lifestyle of the primitive people at least from Lower Paleolithic to Neolithic cultural phases. Caves and its surrounding landscape too have yielded Lithic implements belonging to Lower, Middle and Upper Paleolithic, Microlithic and Neolithic cultural epochs, he said.

However, Gudahandi is not the only cave painting site of Sahajkhol region in Kalahandi-Nabarangpur region. There are a series of hills of volcanic rock in the reserve forest that exhibits a large number of natural caves. A good deal of tribal hamlet surrounds Gudahandi – Dukrichanchara zone such as Ampani, Temra, Kabhdala, Dabrigurah, Porhagurah, Kutru, Ghantigurah, Siuni and Birimal etc. These villages are inhabited by aborigine tribes, such as Kond, Gond, Paraja, Bhatra, Gadhva and Saura (Sabara) etc.

Dr Patra further maintained that Gudahandi – Dukrichanchara zone exhibits verdant bush and forest besides waterfall and gorge. Dokrichanchara, a flat granite terrace of about one kilometer radius exhibits a series of down streams from the surrounding mountains and flow towards the west for about a hundred meter on the stone terrace and ultimately joins together before its fall into a ravine. The site provides must-enchanting scene. Moreover, Behera dam project, minor irrigation project, locating at the foothill of the mountain is another enticing scene spot. The reservoir can serve the purpose of water sports.

Dr Patra further added that Gudahandi – Dokrichanchara area, its natural wealth and traditional skill and knowledge ought to be preserved for present and future. Therefore, setting of an open anthropological museum designated as Indira Gandhi Rastriya Manava Sangrahalay (IGRMS) at Gudahandi will serve this purpose through exploration, documentation and education. The Government of India, Department of Culture has already initiated the process by setting of such institutions at Samlahill in Bhopal and in Karnataka. None of them is located in eastern part of the country, specifically in Odisha. The succinct profile of Gudahandi – Dokrichanchada is in no way inferior to the sites where IGRMS has been established.

Dr Patra further argued that setting up of such an open anthropological museum at Gudahandi would boost tourism in KBK region, where poverty and backwardness saturates. The IGRMS would successfully harness the hidden talent of tribal experts and would reorient it as per contemporary requirement. Gudahandi – Dokrichanchara zone is rich in ethno-medicinal plants and local experts would be buoyant in their pursuit through this open museum, which is highly necessary for the benefit of mankind. In this case, vast tract of plain land available at Kholigarh at the foothill of mountains of Sahajkhol reserve forest can be utilized for structural expansion. The proposed site for IGRMS is located at the side of NH that runs through Koksara to Nabarangpur.

Railway line running from Lanjigarh road to Junagarh would serve the purpose of communication to the site. There is also a survey to extend this line to Nabarangpur via Ampani, which will directly link Gudahandi with railway. Raipur airport is within 200 km and Jeypore airport will be in about 100 km from the site, he said.

Read here Odishatoday

Academician Urges Centre to set up branch of IGRMS in Odisha

Orissadiary, Aug 16, 2013

Report by Odisha Diary bureau, Bhubaneswar: Noted academician Dr. Digambara Patra Urges Centre to set up branch of Indira Gandhi Rastriya Manava Sangrahalay at Gudahandi in Odisha. On this regard Dr. Patra writes letter to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Union Culture Minister Smt.Chandresh Kumari Katoch.

Dr. Patra said that Odisha is one of the richest states in terms of tribal culture and having one of the maximum number of tribal groups (about 62) in the country. Gudahandi located in the border of Kalahandi-Nabarangpur districts of Odisha is situated in a tribal & backward pocket having rich history, resources, forest, mountains, medicinal plants, water and indigenous tribal population. This site is famous today for its pictographic pre-historic painting. 

Dr. Patra further added that thesite was discovered in 1946 by the then Archaeological Department of Kalahandi princely State. Out of the total 25 specimens of painting as reported earlier, only a few are available today for evaluation and rest a fast fading. These paintings are found in a number of caves that figures in the foothill zone of Gudahandi. At the proximal top, however, large number of caves with paintings still remains unexplored. These paintings highlight the lifestyle of the primitive people at least from Lower Paleolithic to Neolithic cultural phases. Caves and its surrounding landscape too have yielded Lithic implements belonging to Lower, Middle and Upper Paleolithic, Microlithic and Neolithic cultural epochs. 

However, Gudahandi is not the only cave painting site of Sahajkhol region in Kalahandi-Nabarangpur region, there are a series of hills of volcanic rock in the reserve forest that exhibits a large number of natural caves. A good deal of tribal hamlet surrounds Gudahandi – Dukrichanchara zone such as Ampani, Temra, Kabhdala, Dabrigurah, Porhagurah, Kutru, Ghantigurah, Siuni and Birimal etc. These villages are inhabited by aborigine tribes, such as Kond, Gond, Paraja, Bhatra, Gadhva and Saura (Sabara) etc. 

Dr. Patra further added that Gudahandi – Dukrichanchara zone exhibits verdant bush and forest besides waterfall and gorge. Dokrichanchara, a flat granite terrace of about one kilometer radius exhibits a series of down streams from the surrounding mountains and flow towards the west for about hundred meter on the stone terrace and ultimately joins together before its fall into a ravine. The sight provides must-enchanting scene. Moreover, Behera dam project, minor irrigation project, locating at the foothill of the mountain is another enticing scene spot. The reservoir can serve the purpose of water sports.

Dr. Patra further added that Gudahandi – Dokrichanchara area, its natural wealth and traditional skill and knowledge ought to be preserved for present and future. Therefore, setting of an open anthropological museum designated as Indira Gandhi Rastriya Manava Sangrahalay (IGRMS) at Gudahandi will serve this purpose through exploration, documentation and education.

Government of India, Department of Culture has already initiated the process by setting of such Institutions at Samlahill Bhopal, at Raipur and in Karnataka. None of them is located in Eastern part of the country, specifically in Odisha. The succinct profile of Gudahandi – Dokrichanchada provided above is in no way inferior to these sites where IGRMS has been established. 

Dr. Patra further added that Setting of such an open anthropological Museum at Gudahandi would boost tourism in KBK region, where poverty and backwardness saturates. IGRMS would successfully harness the hidden talent of tribal experts and would reorient it as per contemporary requirement. Gudahandi – Dokrichanchara zone is rich in ethno-medicinal plants and local experts would be buoyant in their pursuit through this open museum, which is highly necessary for the benefit of mankind. In this case vast tract of plain land available at Kholigarh at the foothill of mountains of Sahajkhol reserve forest can be utilized for structural expansion. The proposed site for IGRMS is located at the side of NH that runs through Koksara to Nabarangpur. Railway line running from Lanjigarh road to Junagarh would serve the purpose of communication to the site. There is also a survey to extend this line to Nabarangpur via Ampani, which will directly link Gudahandi with railway. Raipur airport is within 200 km and Jeypore airport will be in about 100 km from the site.

Development yet to reach Orissa's Niyamgiri Hills

Business Today, Aug 19, 2013
Arunima Mishra       Last Updated: August 19, 2013  | 18:58 IST
he country celebrated its 67th Independence Day last week. But for Sinhari Kadaraka, a resident of Parsali village, Kalyansingpur block, Rayagada district, Orissa, life has not changed much since 1947. Like most inhabitants of this tribal village - part of the gram panchayat near the Niyamgiri hills where Vedanta Alumina wants to mine bauxite for its plant at Lanjigarh, but is being resisted by the locals - she doesn't know her age. She has just walked six km along a rocky path - the only route available - to the panchayat samiti office. She had been sanctioned a grant of Rs 6,000 by the gram panchayat to create a drinking water facility for herself. Her village depends on a nearby stream for drinking water, but it dries up in summer. She has not yet got the money.  

Was there any reason for the delay? Speaking in Kui - an Oriya dialect - Kadaraka says the village sarpanch, also a woman, needs to attest her application but has not done so. "The sarpanch's husband recently joined the Maoists," she says. "The police are hunting for him, so the sarpanch has stopped coming to the panchayat samiti office. No matter how often I come, she is never available."

Kadaraka has now approached the panchayat samiti's grievance cell. Hers is a family of seven - her two sons, two daughters-in-law, a grandson and a grand daughter-in-law and herself. The elder son is a peon at a nearby school where salary payments are irregular. The younger one is in Kerala, looking for work. Kadaraka and her daughters-in-law collect forest products from the dongar (forests) on the hills near Niyamgiri to eke out a living.  

Officials at the block development office admit the area remains backward. Poverty, lack of local teachers, paucity of schools, poor communications facilities and lack of awareness are the main reasons why it lags behind in education. And because so few are educated, it is a tough task getting the tribals to participate in the electoral process, choose a sarpanch and so forth. The tribals depend mostly on agriculture, daily wage labour and collection of non-timber forest produce for their subsistence. 

Since Maoists are active in the region, they have seen to it that road communication does not improve, so they can continue to evade the security forces' combing operations. There are no roads to 10 of the villages in the gram panchayat of which Parsali is a part. No contractor will submit a tender to build roads in this area. "All the other gram panchayats in Kalyansingpur block, barring Parsali and Korapa which are Maoist infested, have been connected by concrete roads," says Loknath Dalbehera, Block Development Officer, Kalyansingpur. 

The tribals still prefer their traditional occupations over other forms of employment. "We have issued job cards under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for all the 616 families in the Parsali gram panchayat," says Dalabehera. "But they don't want this 100-days guaranteed employment." Some other schemes, however, have been successfully implemented, he says: subsidized rice supply - 25 kg per month per family at Re 1 - under the public distribution system, the old age pension scheme and the Indira Awaas housing scheme. 

Will Vedanta get to mine its bauxite? The Supreme Court's order on April 18 this year said it could be allowed only if the concerned gram sabhas of Rayagada and neighbouring Kalahandi districts gave their consent. "Accordingly, the state government has been holding gram sabha meetings in the area," says Dalbehera.  

Projects fail Kalhandi, Balangir Koraput scheme

Times of India, Aug 19, 2013
Bikash Khemka, TNN | Aug 19, 2013, 04.15 PM IST
BHAWANIPATNA: The much-hyped KBK(Kalhandi, BalangirKoraput) scheme completed 18 years on Sunday, but large number of people are still deprived of basic amenities.

The KBK, comprising Koraput, Nabarangpur, Malkanagiri and Rayagada, Sonepur and Balangir and Kalahandi and Nuapada districts, is one of the poorest and most backward regions of the country.

In the 90s, the KBK attracted the nation's attention due to starvation deaths, child sale and large-scale migration. The then Prime Minister, P V Narasimha Rao, launched a long-term action plan for the KBK on August 18, 1995, with the objective of alleviating hunger and ushering in development. The programme, however, could not succeed due to slow flow of funds. The Centre re-launched the programme in 1998-99 as Revised Long-term Action Plan with some structural changes. Besides, the state government also launched Biju KBK Yojana under state plan in 2006.

The Centre also approved the proposal for continuing the special plan for the KBK in 2012-13 with an allocation of Rs 250 crore. Till date the government has spent more than Rs 1,963.95 crore for KBK region but people still migrate to other states for a living, official sources said. Three districts - Malkanagiri, Nabarangpur and Sonepur - do not even have railway network.

The woeful situation in a few regions can be gauged from fact that people bring patients to hospital by boat in Nakesjor village of Kalahandi's Thuamul Rampur block because there is no road. In rainy season, they can't cross the river due to overflowing water and patients are left to fend for themselves.

In remote pockets of Lanjigarh block people are still using stream and river water for drinking proposes. Roads, healthcare, education and electricity are still a far cry.

Kalahandi MP Bhakta Charan Das charged, "The BJD government is not spending funds for development of KBK." Countering Das' charge, former SC & ST development minister Balabhadra Majhi said all the schemes, including Backward Regions Grant Fund, are being implemented successfully. Former MP (Congress) Subash Nayak, who has joined the BJD, said the government is sincerely working for KBK.

All Niyamgiri villages turn down Vedanta’s mining proposal

livemint, Aug 19, 2013
Gaurav Jain  |  Neha Sethi 
The environment ministry now has to decide if it will issue a permit to Vedanta to mine bauxite in the area

New Delhi: All 12 villages in the Niyamgiri Hills of Orissa have rejected Vedanta Resources Plc.’s proposal to mine bauxite in the region after a decade-long battle between tribespeople and the London-listed mining company run by non-resident Indian tycoonAnil Agarwal.

Jarapa in Rayagada district, the last of the villages that were asked by the Supreme Court to decide whether the project should go ahead, chose on Monday to follow the example of the 11 other villages and vote against the miner’s proposal.

These 12 villages were selected by the Orissa government out of more than 100 in the Niyamgiri hills after a Supreme Court ruling on 18 April. In its order, the apex court gave village councils in the Rayagada and Kalahandi districts three months to prepare their reports on whether bauxite mining should be allowed and to what extent.

The environment ministry now needs to decide whether it would issue a permit to Vedanta to mine bauxite in the area, according to the apex court’s ruling.

The local Dongria Kondh and Kutia tribes say their deity Niyam Raja lives in the hills and the proposed mine will impinge upon their socio-cultural and religious rights.

The verdict of the gram sabhas has been overwhelmingly against mining in the region. Seven of the village councils had by 30 July rejected Vedanta’s proposal to mine bauxite it wanted to use as ore for its alumina refinery. Four more subsequently voted against the project.

Activists who have been campaigning against the Vedanta mining proposal rejoiced on social media.

“Match Over! The final score card #Niyamgiri 12 - #Vedanta 0. Jarapa says a big unanimous NO to mining,” Surya Shankar Dash, an independent documentary film maker, tweeted.

The voices of tribespeople should be heard in a democratic country, according to Sidharth Nayak of Green Kalahandi, an Orissa-based not-for-profit body. “The livelihood of a lot of the tribals is dependent completely on the Niyanmgiri hills and their votes should be respected,” Nayak said. “If so many people have rejected (the mining proposal) and it is a matter of their lives, then the decision should be respected.”

The Naveen Patnaik-government of Orissa and Vedanta should close the Niyamgiri chapter in a dignified manner, rural development minister Jairam Ramesh was quoted as saying by The Hindu newspaper on 17 August.

“At this moment, I won’t be able to comment on anything,” a manager at Vedanta Aluminium Ltd said, requesting anonymity. “But our memorandum of understanding with Orissa Mining Corp. is still intact.”

He cited Pinaki Misra, a member of Parliament from Orissa’s ruling Biju Janata Dal, as saying that the state administration remained committed to providing 150 million tonnes of bauxite as per the agreement.

Vedanta’s one million tonne per annum alumina refinery at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district, about 600km from Bhubaneswar, could never operate at full capacity due to a shortage of bauxite, and it is now closed.

Vedanta has a joint venture with state-owned Orissa Mining to develop a bauxite mine in Niyamgiri hills and supply the material to Vedanta’s alumina refinery. The apex court’s ruling in April came in a case pitting the state-run firm against the environment ministry.

Saswat Mishra, managing director of Orissa Mining, couldn’t be reached for comment over the phone despite repeated attempts. An emailed query was not answered.

This outcome was largely expected and Vedanta will face difficulties in this regard, an analyst with a Mumbai-based brokerage firm said, requesting anonymity.

“They will continue to operate their alumina refinery at reduced capacity with minimal margins on imported alumina or bauxite sourced from nearby areas or Gujarat,” the analyst said.

“But they have to apply for mines afresh, and this being an election year, it’s going to be a daunting task.”

    

Blood donation camp in Dharamgarh

Reported by Sri Anshuman Patra
Dharitri, Aug 18, 2013

NDtv, Aug 16, 2013

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Full transcript: BJD's Pinaki Misra on Odisha government's efforts to bring Vedanta back

NDTV.com | Updated: August 16, 2013 01:34 IST

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New Delhi: Eleven out of 12 villages in Odisha have rejected mining of bauxite, used to make aluminium, in Niyamgiri by Vedanta. But despite the no from the villagers, speaking exclusively to NDTV's Anchal Vohra, the ruling Biju Janata Dal's Pinaki Misra says the government of Odisha is determined to provide Vedanta bauxite, if not from Niyamgiri then from an alternative site.

Here's the full transcript of the interview:
 
NDTV: Sir, now that the villagers have said no to mining by Vedanta, what does it mean for Vedanta, and what does it mean for the government because the government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Vedanta promising them bauxite?

Pinaki Misra: Well, it means very little actually because we will give them bauxite. We are committed, you know. I think the day the Congress party thought it was a fit case to take Rahul Gandhi there and exhort the people to say no, this is the direct consequence of that. So, I am not surprised at all that Congress party which has always exhorted povertarianism, even while they's always said they want to remove poverty, they've actually wanted to perpetuate poverty.

NDTV: Sir, how is Rahul Gandhi's visit linked to villagers saying no to Vedanta?

Pinkai Misra: Because Rahul Gandhi went there three years back, had a huge public rally and said 'I am your saviour from Delhi and I will ensure that mining doesn't take place in Niyamgiri'. I will give you the example of Posco - it is the classi doublespeak of the Congress. The PM, the Finance Minister, the Planning Commission are desperate for FDI. Posco, which is the third largest steel manufacturer in the world, has committed to Rs. 75000 crore, 10 million tonne steel plant in Odisha. The local Congress is opposing it tooth and nail.

NDTV: Have you shortlisted how and where you are going to be giving bauxite to Vedanta now?

Pinaki Misra: We have already identified... you know, L&T has a joint venture with Vedanta. L&T is sitting on some very good mines which they have not yet exploited. So that's already being looked at. Plus OMC has bauxite as well, so we will give Vedanta bauxite from OMC, there's no problem.

NDTV: Koraput what they are saying...

Pinaki Misra: ...Karlapat, that's right. Again NGOs will immediately, not NGOs but the Congress party will immediately start raising some environmental issue there as well. But... I mean... you know, we will see what the court's wisdom in that matter will be.

NDTV: And Vedanta has been discussing this with the government?

Pinaki Misra: Yes, of course. The government is very anxious, you know. It is a large investment. Naveen Patnaik brought them to Kalahandi and the fact that Vedanta came and put up a plant in Kalahandi, which is one of the most backward regions, is because the Chief Minister personally requested them to do so. Unfortunately, they got kicked in the tooth by the Congress.

Odisha: Congress MP Bhakta Charan Das met Prime Minister over plight of farmers

Orissadiary, Aug 15, 2013
Report by Odisha Diary bureau, New Delhi: Kalahandi MP Bhakta Charan Das met Prime Minister today and apprised him of the plight of the farmers of Kalahandi and Nuapada who lost their harvested paddy due to heavy rains.  Das has urged the PM to compensate the farmers with the Minimum Support Price per quintal and also requested him to provide help from the natural calamity fund as the State Government doesn't seem to take the matter seriously which is evident from the amount it has announced as the compensation i.e. Rs. 6500/- per hectare which is not adequate. Mr Das said that farmers in Odisha had to suffer heavy losses because of excess rainfall this year. This year (till June) the total rainfall was measured to be 3436.0 mm whereas the normal amount of rainfall is only 240.4 mm. Due to such heavy rainfall around 570 Quintals of paddy got washed away. This year during Rabi, out of the total paddy area of 146890.00 acres, 21014.45 acres got affected. The paddy crops were ready, lying open in the market for sale but it took more than a month’s time to the state government for procurement of the crop. MP Das also draws attention of PM over lack of storage facility in the state. Mr. Das said because Of this all small, medium and marginal farmers had to bear heavy loss. Their entire crop has gone wasted. Things have always been bleak for these farmers and this calamity has made their lives even worse.  MP Das requested Prime Minister to  take up the issue of the loss of these poor farmers considerately and get them at least 50% compensation for their destroyed crops as per the minimum support price per acre.  MP Das has written a letter to Chief Minister in this regards. 

Religion Reverses Mining Move

Note: I liked this article's neutrality and in-depth study, to me this is how a good reporter and journalist should make an article for the benefit of the society at large

Tathya, Aug 11, 2013
Bhubaneswar : 11/August/2013 

Religion is the opium of the people, but few understand what we exactly meant.” This million dollar statement of Karl Marx seems to have its reflections on the Gram Sabhas being conducted in the hill slope villages of Niyamgiri Hills to determine the fate of country’s most controversial mining project for Vedanta.

The state government has so far conducted 10 of the 12 gram sabhas in these villages and all such exercise have strongly opposed the proposed bauxite mining atop Niyamgiri Hills in one voice. There has been not a single person from among the 10 villages who supported the bauxite mining atop Niyamgiri Hills, considered as the Niyam Raja, the presiding deity of the local residents belonging to Dangaria, Jharania and Kutia Kanda tribes.

The tribals worship Niyam Raja as their God and they consider the entire Hills range as the places of worship even though the proposed bauxite mining is 10 kilometer away from the seat of their Hill God. The state government and the entire scientific community are of the view that bauxite mining will never affect the local ecology nor it has any impact on the religious activities of the local people. They cited such activities at Panchpatmali mines of Koraput where Nalco was mining bauxite. There is absolutely no damage in Panchpatmali area, observed geologists in a recent statement.

However, the tribal inhabitants of Kalahandi and Rayagada districts do not believe state government and scientific community even as they are told that the bauxite mining will change their socio and economic situation. They refused any kind of benefits and stick to their stand and said that they can do anything including sacrificing their lives for the protection of their Niyam Raja.

“The people in all the gram sabhas have clearly and categorically opined that their religious practice will be affected if mining is allowed atop Niyamgiri Hills,” said both the Judges who acted as Observers in Kalahandi and Rayagada district gram sabhas.

“It is religion which has stood as the hurdle before the proposed mining at Niyamgiri Hills. Had there been no religious angle to it, things would have been very easy. However, one cannot change the religious sentiments of the people,” said an independent observer adding that people who work against Vedanta Group could successfully motivate the tribals under the garb of religion to say no to mining. And they have been successful in their bid. Thanks to the religious belief of the people.

The Supreme Court’s April 18 judgment had opened a new chapter in the history of mining in the country. As the Apex Court has allowed the local tribals to take a decision through gram sabhas to decide the fate of bauxite mining at Niyamgiri, the people in other areas, particularly in Khandadhar region may oppose Posco’s proposed iron ore mining in Sundargarh district. As all the tribals have their own God in the hills, mountains, trees and nature, they could now raise the issue whenever there is any move to start mining. After Vedanta, possibly Posco could be the next victim of religious opposition to mining.

Surprisingly, the state government has been stuck in a typical situation. Despite opposition from different quarters including the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA), Niyamgiri Surakshya Samiti (NSS),  NGOs, and Congress MLAs & local MP, the state government decided to hold Gram Sabhas in only 12 hill slope villages. The government refused to conduct gram sabha in all the few hundred villages as demanded by others including MoTA.

It was perceived that the state government and Vedanta will motivate the residents of hill slope villages for supporting mining. But, surprisingly, none did their beat and the people have come out against the proposed mining activities at Niyamgiri Hills.

Interestingly the BJD government, which is perceived to be favoring Vedanta could not took note of the activities of NGOs, who influenced the tribals to a large extent and government’s intelligence apparatus failed as well as with political institution. The
Congress and AICC Vice-President Rahul Gandhi was against mining at Niyamgiri hills since a long time. Even Rahul  has come out with agitating tribals and identified himself as their “Sepoy” in Delhi Durbar.

General feeling was that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has effective mechanism among the tribal population and his government can easily motivate a few hundred people living in hill slopes. However, the people opposition has confirmed that Rs 1 a kg rice has little impact on the people when it comes to their presiding deity. The people are totally opposed to mining. This is not that Naveen has lost popular mandate. But it can be said that people will not go by anyone including one who gives cheap rice for survival of their children.

In a way, one can conclude that religion is supreme and people will not hesitate to invite trouble and bad times for protection of their Dharma. Since the opponents could successfully infuse the religion into the controversy, they reaped the benefits. Therefore, Karl Marx’s statement on religion could be true to certain extent, observed political observers.

After selecting 12 villages, the government was supposed to launch a campaign to make people aware about the good impact of mining and its affect on the economy of the locals. The government could have make people understand that the mining project could also change their place of worship by developing it. It was responsibility of the government officials to give solid assurances to the people about the mining project.

On the other hand, the state government announced the dates for the gram sabhas in view of the Apex Court order while the opponents planned out strategies to reach each and every far flung village and make people aware about their religious rights. It is different matter that the people were influenced that mining activities would adversely affect their Niyam Raja.

And the state government officials made no efforts to win the hearts of the people. Whereas anti-Vedanta NGOs and opposition leaders camped in the villages and result was obvious, pointed out an activist, who worked very hard to convince the people that the mining project will harm their socio-cultural and religious interest.

So it the  religion played a major role in reversing the Odisha mining plan. But one thing is clear that for last so many years community was kept at a bay so far deciding the fate of natural resources is concerned. Now it has made a full circle and with the blessing of Supreme Court, community will have the final say on ownership of these resources. So Community is the real owner not the state government, which claims ownership on the mineral resources of the state under MMDR Act.