ROURKELA: Tribal agitators refusing to part with their land for mining expansion of Dalmia Cement Bharat Ltd (DCBL), on Friday, laid siege to Sundargarh collectorate at Sundargarh town till the evening.
The protesters who had reached the collectorate after taking an arduous padyatra for over three days since October 18, sat awaiting the Collector for over seven hours and handed over a memorandum to him late in the evening before dispersing.
Led by Rajgangpur Congress MLA CS Rajen Ekka, social activists, Prafulla Samantara and Anna Kujur, the tribal agitators of Rajgangpur and Kutra blocks under the banner of Forum for Gram Sabha Committee (FGSC) and with support of National Alliance for People’s Movement (NAPM) began the padyatra from Ramabahal of Rajgangpur towards Sundargarh against ‘illegal land acquisition.’
The MLA said violating all constitutional norms and provisions of laws the Odisha government, through the district administration, is moving ahead with the process of land acquisition. “Around 7,000 tribal villagers covering above 70 km over four days reached Sundargarh and waited for Collector Parag Harshad Gavali to submit a memorandum,” he added.