Centre asks Odisha to publicise SC order on Niyamagiri

In a follow up to the Supreme Court order empowering the village committees (palli sabha) to decide the fate of bauxite mining project in Niyamgiri hills, the Union ministry of tribal affairs (MoTA) has asked the Odisha government to take necessary steps to create awareness about holding of palli sabhas.

The ministry has asked the state SC and ST department to issue advertisements in local newspapers informing all tribals and traditional forest dwellers in Kalahandi and Raygada districts to file claims of religious and cultural rights, along with the individual and community rights under the Forest Right Act.

The ministry has urged the state government to display the notification regarding holding of palli sabha along with the details of the SC order in all villages in the two districts irrespective of their proximity from the mining site.

Besides, copy of such notification should be sent to all the civil society and NGOs that are active in these two districts, so that complete transparency is maintained in the identification of claims, it said.

The said advertisements should also be publicly posted in all villages and settlements within Kalahandi and Rayagada districts. The Union ministry directed that the state government should conduct the voting at Palli Sabhas in fair and transparent manner by recording the proceedings. It also suggested that no company officials would be present in the area during the day.

Meanwhile, the state government said, it will carry on all the instructions issued by the central ministry after consultation with the law ministry.

"We will follow all the procedure prescribed by the central ministry of tribal affairs only after the consultation with our law ministry," said Lal Bihari Himirika, state minister for SC and ST welfare.

The Union ministry guidance also asked the state to include local public representatives during palli sabha.

"Inclusion of local MP/MLA would ensure complete transparency in the voting process, in a democratic way," said Bhakta Charan Das, a Congress MP from Kalahandi.