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Anti-Vedanta agitators arrested

Special Correspondent

Opposition workers join stir

BHUBANESWAR: Thousands of activists of Green Kalahandi on Saturday began a five-day a road blockade agitation against the one million tonne capacity alumina refinery project of Vedanta Alumina Limited. A total of 45 agitators were arrested by the Kalahandi police.

The agitators, who were joined by workers of Opposition parties such as the Congress, Communist Party of India(Marxist), Communist Party of India and Orissa Gana Parishad, squatted on roads leading to the alumina refinery site at Lanjigarh.

The activists blocked the roads at as many as 10 different places hampering vehicular movement.

Although the company vehicles and bauxite-laden trucks were stopped by the agitators at various places, the administration officials said that the agitation had not affected trial production at the refinery.

They, however, admitted that transportation of bauxite ore from places such as Kesinga and Visakhapatnam to the refinery complex was affected.

Kalahandi District Superintendent of Police Sarat Chandra Chaupatnaik said the agitation was peaceful and the arrests had been made as a preventive measure. More people were likely to be arrested on Sunday, he indicated.

The protestors, who comprised a large number of tribal men and women, were led by Congress leader and former Union Minister Bhakta Charan Das. He is the chairman of Green Kalahandi, a forum that is spearheading the agitation against the alumina project.

Das, who condemned the arrest of the activists, said that the agitation would continue in a peaceful manner till June 20.

The company sources refused to make any comments on the agitation. Green Kalahandi has been opposing the company’s plans to extract bauxite from the Niyamgiri hills close to the refinery.

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