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Tribal people seek complete closure of Lanjigarh alumina refinery
Edited by : AL CIRCLE
2 min read
The Niyamgiri Surakshya Manch (NSS) has demanded that the Lanjigarh alumina refinery of the Vedanta Alumina Limited (VAL) in Kalahandi district be completely closed.
The demand was made at a public meeting organised in Munikhol of Muniguda block in Rayagada district on Thursday to mark the success of the NSS in thwarting the attempts to mine bauxite in the Niyamgiri Hills.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests recently refused to give its nod for mining bauxite from the hills. The decision was taken after the VAL proposal was rejected in 12 gram sabhas organised in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts last year.
At the public meeting, the leaders were of the opinion that the threat to the Niyamgiri Hills and the Mali Hills in Koraput district remained till the Lanjigarh refinery existed.
They feared that the State government and the VAL would make every attempt to provide bauxite to the refinery.
“To safeguard environment of the Niyamgiri Hills and the Mali Hills, we should continue our fight till the refinery is closed down completely,” Mr. Sikaka said.
Mr. Sadangi said, “The State government is promoting bauxite mining in the Niyamgiri Hills area under the pretext that it would lead to development of the area. As the mining proposal has been turned down, it is high time the government showed its sincerity and took up development projects in the area.”
The villages and hamlets in the Niyamgiri Hills area do not have basic amenities such as proper medical facility, schools, electricity.
The demand was made at a public meeting organised in Munikhol of Muniguda block in Rayagada district on Thursday to mark the success of the NSS in thwarting the attempts to mine bauxite in the Niyamgiri Hills.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests recently refused to give its nod for mining bauxite from the hills. The decision was taken after the VAL proposal was rejected in 12 gram sabhas organised in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts last year.
At the public meeting, the leaders were of the opinion that the threat to the Niyamgiri Hills and the Mali Hills in Koraput district remained till the Lanjigarh refinery existed.
They feared that the State government and the VAL would make every attempt to provide bauxite to the refinery.
“To safeguard environment of the Niyamgiri Hills and the Mali Hills, we should continue our fight till the refinery is closed down completely,” Mr. Sikaka said.
Mr. Sadangi said, “The State government is promoting bauxite mining in the Niyamgiri Hills area under the pretext that it would lead to development of the area. As the mining proposal has been turned down, it is high time the government showed its sincerity and took up development projects in the area.”
The villages and hamlets in the Niyamgiri Hills area do not have basic amenities such as proper medical facility, schools, electricity.
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