Reiterating their stand on mining in Niyamgiri hills, the tribals on Tuesday again rejected the mining proposal in the eighth Palli Sabha held at Ijrupa village of Kalahandi district.
Only four voters of the village attended the meeting. The voters belonged to a single family and voted against mining in the Niyamgir hills. “We are living in the hills since ages. So we can’t quit our motherland for any purpose,” said a member of the family.
Additional District Judge (Vigilance) of Kalahandi Pramod Kumar Jena, who was appointed by the Supreme Court as the observer for the Palli Sabha, was present during the whole deliberation. “The tribals said that they worship Niyamgiri and hence can’t allow it to go to Vedanta for mining,” said Jena.
The State Government had decided to conduct Palli Sabha in 12 hill slope villages as per the April 18 Supreme Court’s order. Palli Sabhas in Kalahandi district were completed on Tuesday, but another four Palli Sabhas would be held at the tribal villages of lamba, lakhapadar, Khambasi and Jarapa of Rayagada district on August 1, 7, 13 and 19 respectively, said official sources.