The Lok Shakti Abhiyan (LSA) on Sunday appealed to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik through a memorandum to protect and reconsider mining operation at the Mali Parbat in Koraput district.
The memorandum mentioned that in 2007, a lease for mining of bauxite in Mali Parbat was given to an industrial house. During that time, the company's EIA report had said that there were no stream and forest in the area. But there does exist a small mountain, the mother of 36 perennial streams which are feeding water to river Kolab and for agricultural activities. Tribals belonging to at least 100 villages are growing vegetable in the area. “The tribals area also growing forest and especially nourishing medicinal plants for last 50 years.
This is ostensibly the reason the tribals were resisting mining there to protect natural resources for their sustainable livelihood,” said LSA president Prafulla Samantara. He said that till 2011, the company had failed to start mining activities as its environmental clearance ended. But again during 2012-2014, it continued with mining activities without renewal of environmental clearance.
As tribals started resistance, mining was stopped. Again in April 2021, company got extension of lease for 50 years and was allowed to apply for fresh environmental clearance, for which public hearing is scheduled on September 22, Samantara stated.