Rally against bauxite mining in Orissa, India

Activists of Gandhamardan Surakhya Yuba Parishad (GSYP), which spearheaded the ‘Oust BALCO’ movement in 1980s, pledged not to allow bauxite mining in Gandhamardan hill range at a public meeting organised to celebrate its 30th annual day on Wednesday.

The celebration began in the form of a torch rally which started from Harishankar temple in Balangir district and culminated at Nrusinghanath temple in Bargarh district trekking through Gandhamardan hill.

The Harishankar temple is situated at one end of the foothills while the Nrusinghanath temple is situated on the other end. Addressing the gathering, farmer leader and social activist Lingaraj said 36 companies have applied to the State Government for mining bauxite in the hill range. “But the mining will not materialise because the GSYP is alert,” he said.

Pradeep Purohit, advisor of GSYP, highlighted numerous instances when the efforts of the State Government to initiate mining in the hill range, using the elected representatives, were thwarted by GSYP. He called upon the gathering to remain alert and strengthen vigil on the entry of outsiders to the hill range, besides, vowing to not allow mining under any circumstance.

Subsequent speakers also accused the State Government of trying to enter the hill range and castigated it for branding the social activists fighting for Jal, Jamin and Jungle (water, land and forest) as Maoists and putting them behind bars under false charges.