Reports say the Dongria Kondh tribals are exercised over the fact that by mining for bauxite in the Niyamgiri hills, Vedanta will be violating the sanctity of a tribal deity. It is possible that they are even more anxious about losing their lands to bauxite mining without adequate compensation. This is not unexpected. Tribals are among India’s most disenfranchised people and land remains their only asset and source of empowerment. The fact that no member of the tribe was recorded as being present during the 2003 public hearing on the Vedanta mining project (“Wide-ranging violations prompted ministry action,” August 26) is evidence enough that they are right to be anxious about Vedanta’s intentions.
Suraj Dutta, on email