The members of the Gandhamardan Surakshya Yuba Parishad (GSYP), Paikmal led by former MLA of Padmapur Pradip Purohit felicitated the activists of the organisation who actively took part in the –‘Balco Hatoa-Gandhamardhhan Bachao’ movement in the 1980s.
The then Congress Government in the State had allotted Patta to Balcothrough a 47-year lease to explore bauxite from the Gandhamardan hill that bears both historical and mythological importance. But the locals including GSYP apprehended that if mining activities would continue, then the hill would lose its natural beauty including flora and fauna.
It needs a mention here that the particular hill is also a treasure house for many herbal and medicinal plants of rare species.
“But due to strong protest by the people of Sambalpur, Bargarh, Balangir and also from other parts of the State, including environmentalists and nature lovers, the Congress Government then led by late JB Patnaik had to cancel the lease. And it was a big victory of the people here,” said Purohit.
“Further it was also another successful movement in the country then after the freedom movement,” said general secretary of GSYP Durjyodhan Puta, during the felicitation ceremony.
Balco also allured the locals in many ways through lucrative offers of jobs to cash. But people didn’t fall in their trap and Balco finally had to close their camp from here. But 85 people- both men and women from Bargarh were in jail for a long time as they protested the project virulently and came under the ire of the Government and local administration.
“Many people out of the 85 are no more now. But to honour the few who are still alive now, we organized a felicitation programme at the foothill of Gandhamardan. They were given Sarees and Dhotis as marks of respect for the sacrifice and taking the high risk of going against an atrocious Government then,” Purohit and all other members present said.
“We are really glad to receive the honour. We took a lot of pain at that time. But we were determined to achieve the goal and we got it,” sai Jamuna Jani, Gauri Mallik, Tobhabati Bhue, and many others who were honoured.
