KORAPUT/JEYPORE : Hundreds of villagers from Laxmipur and adjoining areas took out a protest rally on Thursday, opposing the proposed expansion of the Kodingamali bauxite mining project.
The agitators, under the banner of Kodingamali Surakhya Samiti, also submitted a memorandum to Koraput collector Manoj Satyawan Mahajan, urging the district administration to halt the expansion plan and conduct a thorough inquiry into its environmental implications.
In the memorandum, president of Kodingamali Surakhya Samiti Kashinath Minyaka urged the administration to postpone the public hearing on the expansion of Kodingamali bauxite mine, which is scheduled to be held on May 16. The appeal comes in response to the recent Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) notification, which proposes an increase in mining capacity from 3.6 MTPA to 6 MTPA.
Minyaka raised concerns over the long-term environmental and socio-economic impacts of the proposed expansion. He warned that expansion of mining activities could lead to rapid depletion of natural resources, leaving future generations with a barren and ecologically degraded landscape.
“The proposed expansion may bring short-term industrial benefits, but it will exhaust the region’s natural wealth at an alarming rate. The increased mining capacity would severely affect forests, water sources and agricultural activities. Our children may inherit nothing but wasteland,” he said.
The memorandum highlighted that mining and transportation activities are already contributing to environmental pollution, posing a threat to the traditional rural economy that depends heavily on forests, hills, and water resources. Villagers fear that large-scale mining without adequate safeguards could lead to long-term environmental damage and health hazards. Once the mineral reserves are exhausted, the region could face economic collapse and irreversible ecological damage, it stated.
Another leader William Garuda alleged that the public hearing notification was primarily disseminated through newspaper advertisements, thereby excluding a large section of illiterate villagers from the consultation process. This, he claimed, has denied many affected residents their rightful opportunity to participate in the decision-making process.
Among the key demands, the villagers called for immediate postponement of the May 16 public hearing, a comprehensive sustainability audit to assess the lifespan of the mine and resource availability for future generations, and proper sharing of information to all the residents of Kodingamali mining areas to ensure inclusive participation.
The collector reportedly assured the protesters that their concerns would be examined and an inquiry would be initiated into the matter.