Anti-Vedanta group hold padayatra at Niyamgiri

Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti (NSS), an organisation spearheading the agitation against Vedanta's alumina project at Lanjigarh in Kalhandi district, has started a five-day padayatra beginning Friday to spread awareness among the locals on the Supreme Court (SC) order on bauxite mining in Niyamgiri hills.

The padayatra will cover many villages in Kalahandi and Rayagada districts before culminating at Muniguda on May 22, said a member of the NSS. The padayatra started on Friday from three places-Lanjigarh, Kalyansinghpur and Munikhala.

"The Dongaria Kondhs divided in 12 teams will cover 356 villages in Lanjigarh block of Kalahandi district and Kalyansingpur, Bissam Cuttack and Muniguda blocks in Rayagada district. The teams will apprise the villagers on the process of conducting gram sabhas," said Malaya Ranjan Samantarai, member, NSS.

"The padayatra is aimed at creating awareness among the people of the area about the SC order," said NSS president Kumuti Majhi and Prafulla Samantara, state president, Lok Janshakti Abhiyaan (LSA).

"The people will take their own decision in the gram sabha and the padayatra will not influence them," Samantara clarified. He demanded that the government should declare the names of 12 villages which they have identified to hold the gram sabhas. Opposing the state government's decision to hold the sabhas in 12 villages on the Niyamgiri hills, the NSS wants it to be conducted in all the villages that will be affected due to mining of bauxite at Niyamgiri hills.

The Adivasi Bikash Prishad (ABP), a pro-industry group, has, however, condemned the move to hold the padayatra.

"Many outsiders are visiting our area and trying to influence the villagers against the Niyamgiri mining project. These activities disrespect the SC verdict which says that proceedings of the gram sabha should take place independently. It is unfortunate that the state government has not taken any action against them", said Dhan Majhi, president ABP. Meanwhile, the Union tribal affairs ministry has questioned the pact signed between the state owned Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) and Vedanta Aluminium Ltd (VAL). "I think having MoU (memorandum of understanding) signed with Vedanta was wrong because it goes against the letter and spirit of both Article 244 (1) and provisions of Schedule V (of the Constitution)," tribal affairs minister Kishore Chandra Deo said in a letter to Odisha Governor SC Jamir. The minister has urged Jamir to do the needful so that constitutional provisions were adhered to in letter and spirit.