Rally against aluminium plant

By Our Staff Reporter

BHUBANESWAR, DEC. 20. With the situation slowing turning normal at Kashipur in Orissa's Ragayada district, a rally by those opposing the setting up of an aluminium plant and other industries in the area passed off peacefully today.

The tribals who participated in the rally and blocked traffic on the Rayagada-Koraput road, raised slogans against industrialisation of the area and condemned the December 16 police firing. The rally was organised by the Prakrutika Sampada Suraksha Parishad.

``We are closely monitoring the situation and eight platoons of policemen have been deployed in Kashipur area to maintain law and order,'' Mr. Y.K. Jethwa, Rayagada Superintendent of Police, said today.

Three tribals were killed in police firing at Maikanch village in Kashipur area when a long standing feud over the setting up of the alumina plant had taken an ugly turn on December 16.

The political parties supporting the alumina project had also organised a rally at Rayagada on December 18. They had alleged that Agragami, a non-government organisation which was opposed to the alumina project, had instigated the tribals to attack Mr. N. Bhaskar Rao, a local Biju Janata Dal leader, at Kashipur on December 15. Even as the State government has ordered an administrative inquiry into the police firing, the several non- government organisations in Bhubaneswar have demanded a judicial inquiry into the matter. The NGO representatives have said that Agragami had not instigated the tribals to oppose the alumina project at Kashipur.

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