“Allegations of police intimidation and ill-treatment of the community are deeply disturbing. The state-owned Odisha Mining Corporation was supposed to provide the bauxite extract, obtained from the Niyamgiri hills, to the Vedanta refinery. Trouble began to brew when in 2004 Vedanta set up a pit-head alumina refinery at Lanjigarh, a nondescript village on the foothills of Niyamgiri. for Bauxite mining. Emmanuela Shinta, 26, an independent filmmaker from Indonesia’s Kalimantan rainforest, and Dinja Jakasika, a 30-year-old village sarpanch from the foothills of Odisha’s picturesque Niyamgiri Hills, had nothing in common — nationality, attire or language. Fueled by the continuous protests of the Dongria Kondh and the outpouring of support for the tribe, the Government of India sent a team of experts to the Niyamgiri Hills in 2010. The team of experts, in their March, 2010 report, concluded that Vedanta’s proposed bauxite mine would be detrimental to the existence of the Dongria Kondh; a consequence which was too serious to ignore. How do they identify the beneficiaries? Their distinctive Kapadaganda shawl, however, has captured the attention of art lovers worldwide. But when the Supreme Court ruling, in April 2013, said that the village councils should decide whether the state-owned mining corporation could mine the hills for the bauxite or not, all the village councils voted against the mining process. We have been keeping you up-to-date with information on the developments in India and the world that have a bearing on our health and wellbeing, our lives and livelihoods, during these difficult times. The villages’ decision followed a landmark Supreme Court verdict on April 18, 2013. We should stay connected. However, the decision offered the tribe only a temporary reprieve, as the court ordered the company’s Indian unit, Sterlite Industries,10 to come back with a new proposal for the project. Wherever I go, I meet indigenous people and find connections even though we don’t know each other or each other’s language. ", 27 October 2015 (Last Updated October 27th, 2015 18:30). Niyamgiri hills are home to about 8,000 Dongaria Kondh tribes living in … | Photo Credit: Bauxite is the raw material for alumina and aluminum, and Odisha has 700 million tonnes of known bauxite reserves, of which 88 million tonnes are estimated to be found in Niyamgiri. We also reiterate here the promise that our team of reporters, copy editors, fact-checkers, designers, and photographers will deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda. Can royalty financing for mining projects endure a crisis like Covid-19? Earlier in 2013, the State government had attempted bauxite mining at Niyamgiri to feed the Vedanta’s refinery established close to the hills. NSS is a collective of tribes that has been opposing bauxite mining by Vedanta in Niyamgiri hills since 2003. The Orissa government’s agreement with Vedanta Alumina to allow mining of bauxite deposits in the Niyamgiri hills, the home of the Dongaria Kondha tribe, is an example of how corporate interests backed by state support are trampling on tribal livelihoods and … Bauxite is the raw material for alumina and aluminum, and Odisha has 700 million tonnes of known bauxite reserves, of which 88 million tonnes are estimated to be found in Niyamgiri. Two years ago, when the tribal people of Odisha’s thickly forested Niyamgiri hills unanimously rejected the plans of the London-based conglomerate Vedanta Resources to mine bauxite in their lands, it appeared that a decade-long struggle to protect the hills and forests – and the tribal way of life – had finally succeeded. The court has also provided an escape clause for the mining giants, by … Bauxite, which they were planning to mine atop Niyamgiri hills, serves as a raw material of alumina. Vedanta planned open pit mining to a depth of 13.6 meters, crushing the bauxite, and transporting it to the refinery at the bottom of the hill via conveyor belt. I believe this is going to be tough. Photo: Reuters Odisha looks to revive bauxite mining in Niyamgiri hills … However, we have a request for those who can afford to subscribe: please do. In the rush to acquire mining rights, stringent environmental … Metal News - Published on Tue, 05 Apr 2016. Indian state Odisha is planning to revive Vedanta Resources' bauxite mining project on top of the Niyamgiri Hills, a forested area that the local Dongria Kondh tribe considers sacred. The Rayagada district administration has tried to improve the quality of the base fabric and the embroidery threads, and also to get a GI tag for the unique garment. The recent report in a section of media about bauxite mining in Niyamgiri hill is just misinterpretation of the facts and far from the truth,” Dr Mukesh Kumar, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of VAL, told “The ET”. Subsequently, the state held meetings in 12 villages to discuss the environmental and religious issues, and the rights of the tribes. Vedanta Ltd has been unable to get final permission for mining bauxite from the Niyamgiri Hills. They are home to more than 8,000 of the Dongria Kondh people, whose lifestyle and religion have helped nurture the area’s dense forests and unusually rich wildlife. The Hindu has always stood for journalism that is in the public interest. The Niyamgiri is a hill range situated in the districts of Kalahandi and Rayagada in the south-west of Odisha, India.These hills are home to Dongria Kondh indigenous people.The hills have one of India's most pristine forests in the interior. In the rush to acquire mining rights, stringent environmental laws were violated, and the Dongria’s consent was not sought. 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But we don’t want forests razed to the ground for a wide road. This conflict has been a well-known case in the mineral-rich state of Odisha in India, involving some of the world’s oldest surviving indigenous peoples. The team was asked to submit a report on the effect of the mining project on the Dongria Kondh. Third village says no to mining atop Niyamgiri Hills 23 Jul, 2013, 08.37 PM IST. The Union environment ministry cancelled all permissions granted to the company following allegations by experts that Vedanta had violated various laws in … However, the decision offered the tribe only a temporary reprieve, as the court ordered the company's Indian unit, Sterlite Industries,10 to come back with a new proposal for the project. x DOWNLOAD. On the sidelines of the annual Niyamraja Festival held recently on the hills, 5,000 ft above sea level, Sikaka vented his anguish. In the rush to acquire mining rights, stringent environmental laws were violated, and the Dongria’s consent was not sought. Mining bauxite and processing it into aluminium is deadly to the environment. The film festival, which travelled from Bhubaneswar to Puri and ended in Kurli, a Dongria Kondh village in Rayagada district, showcased the anguish and struggle of indigenous communities in India and around the world. Mines expert and former director of mines with Odisha government B K Mohanty was quoted by Business Standard as saying: "The gram sabhas for Niyamgiri bauxite mining were conducted as per the directions of the Supreme Court. The Dongria tribe of Eastern India has been under intense pressure from the state government as well as Vedanta, a London based mining company, to make way for Bauxite mining.The Dongria tribe and the Niyamgiri Hills For many July 25, 2013 3:10 am. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. We promise to deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda. Jakasika agreed. “The government has not forgotten its defeat by a tribal group. The company is planning to mine Odisha is seeking to revive a controversial plan to mine for bauxite in the Niyamgiri hills, a lushly forested area that the Dongria Kondh tribe considers sacred, a minister said on Wednesday. A solid waste product ‘red mud’ which is an environmental and health hazard is produced during … In Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, which hold 70% of India's bauxite reserves, six major mining projects are stuck, underlining the impasse in the sector. The Dongria tribe of Eastern India has been under intense pressure from the state government as well as Vedanta, a London based mining company, to make way for Bauxite mining.The Dongria tribe and the Niyamgiri Hills For many | Photo Credit: In the same month, Dadhi Pushika was subjected to physical assault after Rayagada police picked him up from the village. Sources & Materials . “When I met Dinja and got to know about their struggle, I was stunned. Jakasika belongs to the Dongria Kondh community, one of Odisha’s few remaining tribal groups. Mining bauxite and processing it into aluminium is deadly to the environment. In what is perhaps India’s first environmental referendum, all 12 villages selected by the government voted against the project. The struggle has been on since October 2004, when the government-owned Odisha State Mining Company (OMC) signed an agreement with UK-based Vedanta Resources to mine over 70 million tons of bauxite in the Niyamgiri hills. Odisha is seeking to revive a controversial plan to mine for bauxite in the Niyamgiri hills, a lushly forested area that the Dongria Kondh tribe considers sacred, a minister said on Wednesday. Currently, Odisha steel and mines minister Prafulla Mallick said: "The state government is keen to hold gram sabhas again for Niyamgiri bauxite mining. At this difficult time, it becomes even more important that we have access to information that has a bearing on our health and well-being, our lives, and livelihoods. Several deaths have taken place, although there is no mention of this in any government records. When their egos were satisfied, I was let go,” said Sikaka. Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly. pressure from the state government as well as Vedanta, a London based mining company, to make way for Bauxite mining. Niyamgiri. Explore more for Niyamgiri hills breaking news, opinions, special reports and more on mint. The proposed mining area would cover 7 square kilometers on the top of Niyamgiri Hills. “No force on earth can drive us from Niyamgiri. This conflict has been a well-known case in the mineral-rich state of Odisha in India, involving some of the world’s oldest surviving indigenous peoples. Rainclouds hung over Niyamgiri hills,but the cloud of uncertainty over Vedanta Alumina s 1 million tonne per annum alumina refinery plant at Lanjigarh,Kalahandi,deepened further after the fourth pallisabha on Wednesday rejected the company s plan to mine the bauxite-rich hills The Dongria tribe and the Niyamgiri Hills For many centuries, the highly endangered Dongria tribe have inhabited the hills that contain an estimated $2 billion worth of bauxite deposits (Bennett, 2014). Shinta first met Jakasika two years ago, at an indigenous film festival in Kalimantan. As we fight disinformation and misinformation, and keep apace with the happenings, we need to commit greater resources to news gathering operations. There are four government health centres in Trilochanpur, Muniguda and Bissamcuttack, to reach which the Dongrias have to trek three hours. NSS is a collective of tribes that has been opposing bauxite mining by Vedanta in Niyamgiri hills since 2003. Yellow invokes turmeric and peace, a smile, togetherness, health and happiness of the community. Nobody exemplifies this deep divide better than Lada Sikaka, NSS president and once an important voice of the Dongrias. It is very important for us to assert our rights and to be strong. For the Dongria Kondhs, the film festival was an important occasion to recount the community’s travails over the last decade, and debate what the ‘correct’ model of development could be. The government insists on concrete houses. Ever since the mining company, Vedanta Resources, attempted to extract around 80 million tons of bauxite deposits from the hills, costing around USD 2 billion, the entire Niyamgiri belt has remained on edge, witnessing a number of indigenous people’s movements which the state apparatus has continued to suppress. Today, he is distraught. The topography of the area made it impossible to reach each village. Company: Orissa Mining Corporation (for Vedanta) Reserves: … “But the shawl gives us prestige when we go to fairs or social events,” said Lakmi Sikaka, a Dongria woman. After two villages in Raygada district rejected a proposal of allowing bauxite mining atop Niyamgiri Hills, another village in Kalahandi district did the same at the Gram Sabha held today. Activists estimated that this would destroy 1,660 acres of pristine forest, plus pollute the air, the soil and critical water resources. The refinery was to get bauxite, the main aluminium ore, from Niyamgiri and was sourcing the raw material from other states in the interim. Bauxite, which they were planning to mine atop Niyamgiri hills, serves as a raw material of alumina. The mining operation will have massive negative affects on the Dongria Kondh, one of India's most isolated tribes. *Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper, crossword and print. Sources & Materials . Till the early 2000s, Dongria Kondhs lived peacefully in quiet and inaccessible hamlets on the slopes of the Niyamgiri range, in the Bissam Cuttack, Muniguda and Kalyansingpur blocks of Rayagada district and in the Lanjigarh block of Kalahandi district. Indian state Odisha is planning to revive Vedanta Resources’ bauxite mining project on top of the Niyamgiri Hills, a forested area that the local Dongria Kondh tribe considers sacred. In 2010, the Union Environment Ministry originally rejected Vedanta’s proposal to mine bauxite from the area. Dongria women love ornaments, hair accessories and flowers. It wants to dominate the discourse of development in the region and muzzle local voices,” said Lingaraj Azad, convenor of Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti (NSS), which has been spearheading agitation against mining in Niyamgiri. Get the latest Niyamgiri hills news, videos and headlines. On 31 st July 2013 in New Delhi drums and banners in front of Odisha House celebrated the success achieved by the tiny Dongria Kondh hamlets in the Niyamgiri Hill which, one after the other had openly expressed in the last days of July 2013 their refusal of open cast bauxite mining. As per official records on regularisation of titles under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006, only 252 applications were not approved in Kutia Kondh Development Agency, Lanjigarh jurisdiction. Now, the state government has to seek permission from the apex court to start the process again. Bhubaneswar: South Korean steel behemoth Posco’s mining prospects in Kandadhar hills of Sundergarh district may face the same fate as Niyamgiri Hills, given the Environment Ministry’s January direction in the latter’s case rejecting Vedanta’s bauxite extraction plan and endorsing forest rights of tribals following a Gram Sabha verdict. What united them were their indigenous roots and a long history of struggle. Court cases and local opposition did not deter the company. “What we are hearing from other activists is that the Supreme Court order has presented a golden opportunity for the government to reject applications regarding individual forest rights, community forest rights and habitat rights and wrest control of Niyamgiri. Vedanta Ltd has been unable to get final permission for mining bauxite from the Niyamgiri Hills. A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences. No bauxite mining at Niyamgiri till nod from locals: Vedanta The announcement comes nearly four months after the Ministry of Environment and Forest turned down Vedanta's mining proposal, paying heed to the local villagers' verdict. For the Odisha Mining Corporation, the mining arm of the state government, the value of the hills lies in the region’s Lanjigarh-Niyamgiri deposit, which contains 88 million tonnes of bauxite. A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes. Unanimous rejection was recorded in July and August 2013. The company planned to mine the Niyamgiri hill range, which is believed to be the home of deity Niyam Rajawhich, who is worshipped by the local Dongria Kondh tribe. Supreme Court rejects bauxite mining in Niyamgiri Hills of Odisha. 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