Public hearing for Maliparbat mining in Odisha held amid tight security
KORAPUT/JEYPORE: The public hearing for Hindalco’s Maliparbat bauxite mining in Koraput’s Pottangi block was organised peacefully amid tight security at Kankadaamba village in Semiliguda on Monday.
The palli sabha venue turned into a fortress as 30 platoons of police force were deployed to maintain law and order situation. Besides, the venue was cordoned off with iron wire fencing across a three km radius from the nearby hills. A drone camera was also used to keep an eye on protestors trying to sneak into the meeting place.
Koraput ADM Rajendra Majhi said in adherence to Covid-19 guidelines, the number of participants in the public meeting was limited to 250 villagers. Sources said the participating villagers demanded basic amenities like healthcare, education, road, drinking water, development of peripheral areas, jobs for local youths and livelihood for all affected families. Hindalco vice-president Manoj Nayak agreed to the demands of villagers.
On the other hand, members of Maliparbat Surakhya Samiti accused police of preventing them from attending the public hearing. “Police created fear among local villagers. We were detained by police 3 km away from the meeting venue. Is this democracy or autocracy? It seems tribals have lost their right to freedom of speech,” claimed a member of the Samiti. He also alleged that outside people hired by the administration attended the public hearing.
Notably on September 22, tribals had opposed the palli sabha meeting at the same place and vandalised the meeting venue protesting the proposed bauxite mining. Police had arrested 28 villagers from peripheral villages of Maliparbat in this connection. On Sunday, another six villagers were arrested by police to avert law and order situation during the public hearing.
Vice-president of Maliparbat Surakhya Samiti Delim Basa Khora said the womenfolk of various villages had met Koraput Collector Md Abdaal Akhtar and urged him not to hold the public hearing as all male leaders of the Samiti were lodged in jail. But the Collector did not pay any heed to the request, she claimed.
Among others, State Pollution Control Board director PK Kar, senior revenue and police officials attended the palli sabha meeting. Spread over 270 acre and 40 km from Koraput at Doliamba village, Maliparbat mine was leased to Hindalco in 2006 but it failed to carry out operations due to stiff resistance from the tribals, resulting in expiry of the lease terms. In April this year, the company got an extension of lease for 50 years and was allowed to apply for fresh environmental clearance.