Summoned by Governor SC Jamir, senior officials of the three departments on Tuesday apprised him on steps being taken to start the gram sabha proceeding in compliance with the Supreme Court order to decide the issue of bauxite mining in tribal dominated Niyamgiri hills covering two districts Kalahandi and Rayagada.
In the wake of Union Tribal Affairs Minister V Kishore Chandra Deo's advisory to the Governor on implementation of Article 244 (1) and provisions of Schedule V of the Constitution in the tribal areas, Jamir took stock of the progress made by the State Government officials. Those who met the Governor include Steel and Mines Secretary Rajesh Verma, SC and ST Secretary Santosh Sarangi, Forest and Environment Secretary Raj Kumar Sharma and Chairman and Managing Director of the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) Saswat Mishra.
After the meeting, SC and ST Development Department Secretary Sarangi said his department will instruct the district administration of Kalahandi and Rayagada soon to initiate work at the field level for conduct of gram sabhas for deciding the fate of bauxite mining at Niyamgiri hills.
"We are going to issue letters in 2-3 days to the District Collectors of Rayagada and Kalahandi to initiate action on gram sabhas after settling claims of the tribals. For the benefit of the tribals, the SC order will be translated into Odia and the local tribal dialect," said Sarangi.
He said that the State Government had already written to the registrar of the Odisha High Court for appointment of a district judge to oversee the proceedings of the gram sabhas.
Meanwhile, despite the apex court's order on April 18, the State Government is yet to start the process for holding village assembly meetings, citing lack of clarity in the order. Now, after receipt of views from the law Department, the SC and ST Department is gearing up to hold gram sabhas in 12 villages on Niyamgiri hill slopes. Since the six week time would be inadequate to hold gram sabha and submit report to the Supreme Court, the Government is considering filing a petition in the apex court seeking six weeks more time.