JEYPORE: A team of Odisha Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited (OMECL) and revenue officials of Koraput had to return disappointed after their efforts to test the soil of a hill near Marichamal village on Monday for a proposed mining project was thwarted by the locals.
Sources said two years back, Koraput administration had informed OMECL of the presence of bauxite sources in Konapadikonda hills near the said village bordering Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Subsequently 59 spots on the hill spreading over 906 hectare was identified for soil testing to initiate the project.
However, when a technical team comprising officials of OMECL, Narayanpatana block development officer (BDO) and tehsildar reached the village on Monday to discuss with the locals regarding the matter, they faced strong opposition for the same.
Villagers said that the Konapadikonda hills provided them with an important source of livelihood and establishing a mine there would mean ruining their sources of income and also polluting the environment.
Though the team enlightened them of the various benefits of the proposed mining project, the locals were unrelenting. Following such resistance, the team was forced to return in the evening.
Contacted, Narayanpatana BDO Aswin Mohapatra said, “The soil testing work could not be carried out as the villagers there strongly opposed the same.”