Tribals rally together to protest Polavaram

Inspired by the successful agitation of Dongaria kondhs in Kalahandi and Rayagada districts, that denied mining of bauxite at Niyamagiri hills for Vednata's Lanjigarh alumina refinery, tribals in three adjoining districts have now come together to stall the controversial Polavaram project, being set up in Seemandhra.

The people belonging to Koya tribe, another particularly vulnerable tribal group (PTG), in three states, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and newly formed Telengana have strongly protested against the Center's green signal to the controversial dam project on Sunday. At a huge gathering at Motu, in south Odisha's Malkanagiri district, the members of this tribal community threatened to launch a mass agitation against the project. They expressed apprehension that they would be displaced and their lands would be submerged if the project is implemented. "We condemn the attitude of the Central government and will continue to fight to protect the rights of the tribal people," said MLA (Malkanagiri) Manas Madkarni.
 

He said, the Odisha government's stand on the issue was very clear. The Naveen Patnaik government is opposed to the project.