Odisha police turn Medha Patkar, activists away from Rayagada where resistance against bauxite mining simmering
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.
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