BHAWANIPATNA: A number of outfits of Lanjigarh and neighbouring areas of Rayagada on Wednesday sought permanent bauxite mines for Vedanta Ltd for the benefit of local population.
Thousands of people including local residents and members of various associations and organisations of Kalahandi and Rayagada districts took out a rally demanding immediate allotment of bauxite mines to Vedanta’s Lanjigarh project. Former MLA Sibaji Majhi, who led the rally, appealed to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to intervene in the matter and take steps in this regard.
A memorandum was also submitted to the Lanjigarh BDO in this connection. The memorandum said the existing alumina refinery of Vedanta, established in 2003, is operating without any permanent source of raw material (bauxite) from mines formally allocated to it for the last 21 years.
The livelihood of local communities is being adversely affected as the plant is struggling to operate. The delay in allotment of permanent mines to Vedanta’s Lanjigarh project is indirectly affecting the socio-economic condition of the region, it alleged.