11th Niyamgiri gram sabha says 'no' to mining

The tribals of Khambasi village in Rayagada district on Tuesday unanimously opposed the proposal to mine bauxite atop Niyamagiri hills, making it the eleventh special palli sabha to reject the mining plan.

Ten palli sabhas-five in Kalahandi and five in Rayagada districts had earlier rejected the proposal.

The palli sabhas are being held on the direction of Supreme Court to seek mandate of the local people, mostly Dongaria Kondhs, to excavate bauxite on Niyamgiri hills which is crucial to meet the raw material needs of Vedanta Alumina's one- million tonne refinery at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district.

Amid tight security and rains as many as 50 voters (37 females and 13 males) of this remote village attended the palli sabha today. The village has 72 eligible voters.

Police kept strict vigil on the entry of foreigners to the village this time as at the previous palli sabha, held at Lakhapada on August 8, the presence of two British citizens had kicked off a row.

"We will not give up the mountain to any one as it is the abode of our revered deity Niyama Raja", the villagers said in unison at the meeting, which was held under the supervision of the additional district and sessions judge, Rayagada, SC Mishra.

Supreme Court in its judgment on Niymagiri on April 18, 2013, had said, the villagers in the area would decide whether the mining activity would cause any harm to their religious right of worshipping Niyam Raja at Hundaljali, about 10-km from the identified mining site.

Following this order, 12 villages were selected by the state government for holding of palli sabha to decide the fate of the mining project. One more palli sabha is now left to be held at Karapada in Rayagada district on August 19.

The outcome of the rest gram sabhas are inconsequential since majority of gram sabbas have already rejected the proposal, the Niyamagiri Surakhya Samiti (NSS), the organisation spearheading the agitation against the mining project said. This has put the fate of Rs 4500-crore alumina refinery of Vednata Aluminium in jeopardy.