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Tribals agitate at Vedanta project site

BERHAMPUR: Tension mounted near Alumina project of Vedanta Alumina Limited (VAL) at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district on Saturday due to agitation by tribals opposed to its mining in Niyamgiri hill range.

The agitation of tribals got added by demonstration by some unpaid menial labourers. These labourers had been employed by the Maytas Limited, which had taken up some construction work of VAL at the spot. They alleged that the officials of Maytas had vanished with over Rs 30 lakh which was earmarked for their wages.

The ‘Niyamgiri Surakshya Samity’, the organization that is spearheading the agitation against VAL’s mining project and displacement of tribals in the area Niyamgiri hills had convened a public meeting against VAL project at Balabhadrapur. Around 300 tribals mostly of Dongria Kondh community had attended this meeting with their traditional weapons. These tribals in an agitated state also marched to make an armed demonstration near the project site of VAL at Lanjigarh.

The armed tribals were supported by the unpaid labourers when they reached the spot. Angry mob of tribals damaged the main gate and ransacked the sign boards of the company at the spot. They threatened that the company officials may have to face more drastic form of opposition if the mining project in Niyamgiri was not stopped, which would affect the life and livelihood of tribals. The security guards of the company and its officials did not interfere with the angry tribals. The tribals dispersed after some time.

It may be noted that since Nov 10 the tribal supporters of Niyamgiri Surakhya Samity have not allowed the VAL officials to enter the Niyamgiri area for construction of road for the mining work. They had also kept the machineries used for road laying under seize for some days, which they returned after intervention of officials. The road work in the Niyamgiri area by VAL has stopped since then.

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