Adivasis continue protest in Nagarahole
Fifty-two families of the Adivasis -- most of them Jenu Kurubas -- entered the forest on Monday, blaming the Forest Department for the delay in looking into their claims made under the Forest Rights Act, 2006. The officials have stated that the claims were rejected earlier.
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The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
Odisha police turn Medha Patkar, activists away from Rayagada where resistance against bauxite mining simmering
Several activists led by Medha Patkar were stopped by the Odisha Police and turned away after they arrived in Rayagada district to address a public meeting on World Environment Day, early Thursday (June 5, 2025). District authorities cited potential law and order concerns, stating that the activists' presence could inflame tensions in the region, where local tribals are opposing bauxite mining in the Sijimali Reserve. 'As soon as we got off the train in the early hours of Thursday, a large contingent of police personnel stopped us and said we were not allowed to leave the railway station. We are not criminals. We had come to Rayagada to speak about the importance of protecting the environment,' said Medha Patkar over phone from Rayagada. Within hours, fellow activists Lingaraj and Narendra Mohanty were forced to leave the district. Protest against bauxite mining of Vedanta A public meeting had been planned under the banner of Maa Maati Maali Surakshya Manch, Kashipur at Sunger Hatapada, where hundreds of tribals were expected to gather to hear the activists. Sunger Hatapada is located just a few kilometres from the Sijimali Bauxite Deposit, where the Vedanta Group has proposed mining 9 million tonnes of ore annually over an area of 1,549 hectares. Vedanta, one of India's largest aluminium producers, has operated its alumina refinery in Lanjigarh, Kalahandi district, without a captive bauxite mine since 2007. The company has been seeking a steady supply of raw material, making Sijimali a key target. Similar resistance had earlier derailed a mining project in the Niyamgiri hills, where the Dongria Kondh, a particularly vulnerable tribal group, successfully opposed plans to mine bauxite. The Odisha Mining Corporation, a state-run PSU, was to supply the ore to Vedanta. In Rayagada, tensions have been simmering around the Sijimali deposit for the past couple of years. Tribals allege that the district police, under pressure from the company, have been using force to suppress the people's movement against mining. An order signed by the Rayagada District Collector has barred 24 activists from entering the district for two months starting June 4. They have also been prohibited from participating in any protests or sit-ins. The Eastern Ghats hill ranges that cut across Kalahandi, Rayagada, and Koraput districts are rich in bauxite. Apart from Vedanta, private players such as the Adani Group and the Aditya Birla Group are either exploring or have already established infrastructure to mine the mineral. The National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), a Navaratna public sector unit, has a strong presence in Koraput district, where it is already extracting bauxite from the Panchpatmali reserve and is preparing to mine the Pottangi reserve. 'Why is the present Odisha government afraid of environmentalists and nature lovers visiting their beautiful State at the invitation of Adivasis—the true guardians of nature?' asked Ms. Patkar. 'How can we, as citizens of India, be stopped from marking a day dedicated to pledging our commitment to protect the Earth, its green cover, its farms and forests, and honouring those who have preserved them for generations?,' asked Ms. Patkar.
The Hindu
3 days ago
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Encroachment of 43 acres of wildlife sanctuary cleared in Chikkamagaluru
Shivamogga Officials of the Bhadra Tiger Reserve cleared encroachments on 43 acres in survey number 43 of Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, at Kesavina Mane village in Muthodi wildlife range in a three-day operation that ended on Monday. A team of 100 staff members participated in the drive. The Forest Department had registered a case with regard to the encroachment of forest area under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, on September 2, 2022. The court of Assistant Conservator of Forests of the Bhadra Wildlife Subdivision heard the case and, on April 28, 2025, issued an order to clear the encroachment within 39 days. As the encroachers did not clear within the stipulated deadline, the department conducted the operation with the support of Chikkamagaluru district administration, the police and the Health Department. The staff members of Bhadra Wildlife Subdivision, Lakkvalli range and support staff were involved in the operation, said Pulkit Meena, DCF of Bhadra Tiger Reserve, in a press release.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- The Hindu
Group of over 200 demands Tribal Welfare Department to urgently address violations faced by tribals in Nagarahole
Representatives of a solidarity group of 206 social and environmental organisations, lawyers, academics, and other professionals, submitted a joint memorandum to Randeep D., Principal Secretary, Tribal Welfare Department, and Yogesh, Director, Tribal Welfare Department, to urgently address the alleged ongoing violation of forest and tribal rights at Karadikallu, Nagarahole, where 150 Jenu Kuruba adivasis are facing 'forced eviction' in violations of the Forest Rights Act. The members of the solidarity group include groups such as India Labour Solidarity (U.K.-based), Food Sovereignty Alliance, People's Union for Civil Liberties, Community Network Against Protected Areas, Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan, Fridays For Future India, National Alliance of People's Movements, and Students for Peoples Democracy, as well as activists including Meera Sanghamitra, Clifton D'Rozario, Yuvan Aves, and Disha A. Ravi. Signatories also include academics from IIT Madras, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, National Law School of India University, and Azim Premji University. The collective submitted this letter in light of the tense situation that has been unfolding at Karadikallu Hattur Kollehaadi, Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, since May 5 after the tribals re-entered the forests 'to reclaim their ancestral land'. 'Over 120 paramilitary troops of the Forest Department, State police, and Special Tiger Protection Force were deployed to intimidate members of the Jenu Kuruba tribe, with threats to evict them forcibly. In addition to this, the Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF), Nagarahole Wildlife division, issued a letter on May 8, citing a supposed May 6 High Court order, later found to have been fabricated, suspending the FRA-related activities, thus asking the Jenu Kuruba families to vacate their ancestral homeland in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve,' said a statement from the collective. The letter by the collective termed it 'a blatant attempt to withhold implementation of the FRA, 2006, amounting to perjury (lying under oath) under criminal law for the tiger reserve authorities, as well as section 3 (g) of SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.' According to members of the collective, Mr. Randeep promised to look into the grievances and address them, and was open to sending a delegation to Nagarahole.
