The State Government is influencing the Gram Sabha proceedings by conducting it in 12 villages instead of 112 affected villages in the Niyamgiri area, said lingaraj Azad of the Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti (NSS) which is spearheading a movement against the bauxite mining in the Niyamgiri Hills.
Azad said that out of the total 12 villages declared by the State for Gram Sabha, the village Ijurupa of Kalahandi district has a single family having a piece of land.
The Vedanta company is constructing seven houses and planning to settle seven outside people to influence the Gram Sabha proceeding which is very unfortunate, he added.
The State has deployed paramilitary forces like CRPF in the name of combing operation to terrorise tribals so that the forest dwellers could not attend the Gram Sabha fearing the forces, said NSS member Bhalchandra Sarangi, adding that there should be a democratic atmosphere to hold Gram Sabha.
Two days back, the Rayagada district administration had sent a team to survey villages to gather people’s opinion on mining in the area, said members of the Samiti. “It is nothing but to provide information to the company so that it will exercise its clouts to win over local people,” they alleged.
The members reiterated that the State Government in the interest of Vedanta is openly violating the Supreme Court’s order regarding conducting of Gram Sabha.
The tribal leaders like lada Sikkaka, Malati Katraka, Dinja Jakasika and Kumuti Majhi of Niyamgiri area said the media here that they would not allow the company for mining in the hill, the Niyamraja where their god is residing.