The District Judges of Kalahandi and Rayagada would act as independent observers at Gram Sabhas to be conducted in the 12 villages of the Niyamgiri hill ranges spread over the two districts to decide the fate of Vedanta’s bauxite mining project.
On the request of the State Government, the Odisha High Court has appointed District Judges of Kalahandi and Rayagada to act as observers at the Gram Sabhas, said SC and ST Development (SSD) Department Secretary Santosh Sarangi on Friday. Earlier on the day, the Registrar of the Odisha High Court intimated the SSD Department about the appointment of the District Judges, he informed.
Of the 12 villages on the Niyamgiri hill ranges, five are located in Kalahandi district, while the rest seven are in Rayagada district.
Earlier, on May 27 last, the SSD Department had issued notices to the the District Collectors of Kalahandi and Rayagada directing them to expedite the conduct of the public hearing to be completed within six weeks time in consonance with the Supreme Court order of April 18.
The two District Collectors were also advised to hear submission of local tribal communities which have religious and cultural concerns over the bauxite mining project.
The SC in its order had directed the State Government to complete gram sabhas within three months to get the mandate of the local people regarding the mining project meant to feed the one million tonne alumina refinery of the Vedanta Aluminium limited (VAl).
The apex court had also called for maintaining the community, individual, cultural and religious rights of the local inhabitants under the Forest Rights Act (FRA).
The Union Tribal Affairs Ministry had asked the SSD Department earlier this month to issue advertisements in local newspapers informing all tribals and traditional forest dwellers in Kalahandi and Rayagada districts to file claims of religious and cultural rights, along with the individual and community rights under the FRA and sought the action taken report on the issue. The Govt was also asked to ensure that transparency is maintained during public hearing.