Activists to protest in case government allows Vedanta for mining in Gandhamardhan

The former parliamentarian and leader of the Balco movement Bhawani Sankar Hota has warned the government to refrain from thinking of mining of Bauxite in Gandhamardhan hill as people are already joined for yet another fight to save the forest range as it provides them bread and butter. While speaking to the press, Hota said that the Gandhamardan is full of herbal and medicinal plants and mining will definitely destroy the flora and fauna of the mountain range.  Thousands of people especially the tribal of the region will be uprooted from their livelihood in case of mining as they earn their livelihood from the forest.

“We do not oppose industrialization, but not at the cost of the tribal people and at the cost of the destruction. If at all government wants to improve the area, than eco-tourism and herbal medicine plant will be better for the development of the area”, Hota asserted. He demanded rejection of the applications of the companies that are interested for the mining in Gandhamardhan.  “Government should declare the area as ‘mining free zone’ to save the environment of the area which is considered a pious place as it bears faith and believes of the lakhs of Indian” another activist swami Sombesh said

on the other hand, eminent social activists and environmentalist Prafulla Samantara believes that BALCO movement that saved Gandhamardhan in 1980s is considered as mother of all movements that have taken place in the country against industrialization, "so how can we tolerate if any one puts eye on it once again. The protest will be vigorous and massive if by any point of time government thinks to allow Gandhamardhan to Vedanta for mining. How can we allow any one to rob our mother? We will fight to save our mother”, Prafulla Samantara said on the possibility of allowing Vedanta for mining in Gandhamardhan. 

According to him Gandhamardhan has uncountable herbal and medicinal plant which are rarely available else where in the country. “We should be proud for the nature for giving such huge area of resources, but instead of utilizing the resources if government wants to destroy we are already to fight to save it” Samantara said.

While talking to TOI in Sambalpur on Sunday at Sambalpur, he expressed concern over the state government’s industrial policy which definitely convent the state into a desert. “Industrialization is needed but not at the cost of people”, he said.

Lok Mukti Abhijan chief Prafulla Samantara said that government should direct the Vedanta to close its refinery at Lanjigarh after central government accepted the Saxena report on Niyamgiri which disallowed mining in Niyamgiri hill. “Any mining or industry with in 50 km radius will definitely put a negative effect on the environment of Niyamgiri hill.” He said.

According to him, state government is desperate to hand over many such area including Panchamali (Kasipur) Bafilimali and Kodingamali (Koraput) to the industrial houses for mining with out considering the fate of the people. “Several water sources that are coming from these places will be dried out one mining will be started. So we warned the government to refrain from uprooting the innocent people from their living”, he said.