BHAWANIPATNA: To study the impact of proposed bauxite mining by Vedanta Aluminium Limited at Niyamgiri, an expert committee led by MC Saxena toured some of the Kutia Kondh and Dongria Kondh inhabited villages. The study, being undertaken at the direction of the Ministry of Forest and Environment, is expected to decide the fate of Vedanta.
The report of Saxena will concentrate on the consequences of mining on environment, forest and tribal life. During his tour, Saxena interacted with the villagers to learn about their economic condition, hopes and apprehensions, ‘if any’， regarding mining and the steps taken by VAL for their welfare.
He visited Bandhguda, Rengopali, Trilochanpur and Phuldumer villages. At Phuldumer, a primitive Dongria Kondh inhabited village in the foothills of Niyamgiri, he inquired from the villagers about their forest rights and status of their awareness of other provisions of the Forest Act. He also visited the leaf plate making unit, solar light, childcare centre and pipe water supply scheme floated by VAL in the village under its CSR initiative.
In Bangoguda and Regopali villages, adjacent to the plant, villagers expressed apprehensions about their future due to proximity and demanded displacement and rehabilitation facility. Saxena today held a meeting with environment activists and eminent citizens on the issue.
Among others, Lok Sabha member Bhakta Das and Sidhartha Naik, who attended on behalf of Green Kalahandi, former State ministers Kiran Singh Deo and Balabhadra Majhi for BJD, former Lok Sabha member Subas Naik and members of advocates forum, NGOs Sewa, Udyogini and GARD interacted with him and presented memoranda.