The Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti (NSS) on Monday condemned the repeated violations of the Supreme Court verdict in the Vedanta Sterlite Bauxite Mining case pertaining to mining by the State Government to favour the company.
The NSS leaders are deeply aggrieved by the recent attempts of the State Government officials to manipulate provisions of law by misleading the people.
They alleged that the local administration of Rayagada has manipulated the process of claims and recognition of rights under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), apparently to influence the proceedings of the Gram Sabhas notified in July
and August.
The Supreme Court in its order had categorically asked to ensure that the proceedings of the Gram Sabha take place independently and completely uninfluenced either by the project proponents or the Central Government or the State Government. However, the recent interventions by the local administration and the manufactured reports clearly indicate that the State Government is trying to influence the proceeding of the Gram Sabhas apparently to favour Vedanta, they added. The members demanded a probe by the Centre into illegalities in the case and updating the Supreme Court about the findings.
Proper implementation of the SC order will require more proactive interventions from the Central Government and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA). It is also necessary that not just the Gram Sabha proceedings but the entire process of execution of the SC order in Niyamgiri needs to be monitored directly by the Supreme Court. The process should also be monitored by the civil society organisations and particularly a third party. In its directions, the MoTA had desired involvement of a third party in the proceedings of the Gram Sabha. However, the State Government has neither involved a third party nor maintained any transparency in the entire process, the members said.
They demanded cancellation of Gram Sabha at Ijurupa as only one family of OBC category staying in the village. As per FRA, 2006, there should be at least 10 to 15 members to hold a Gram Sabha.
Activists like lok Shakti Abhiyan president Prafulla Samantara, NSS member Bhalachandra Sadangi, journalist Rabi Dash and Dongra tribe representatives lada Sikaka and Kumuti Majhi called upon all concernedcitizens, groups and media to be watchful of the joint moves of Vedanta and the State Government.