Other States - Orissa

Villagers vow not to part with land for proposed projects

BHUBANESWAR: Supreme Court’s green signal to mining on Niyamgiri Hill by Sterlite Industries and forest clearance for Posco, s project site in Jagatsinghpur, may have raised hopes for industry lobbyists, but people’s protests appear to be gaining momentum against different projects in Orissa again.

At a public hearing conducted under the banner of Bisthapan Birodhi Janabikash Andolan by social activists from different parts of country here on Sunday, villagers facing displacement due to industrial and other projects vowed not to leave their place irrespective of the amount of pressure that could be exerted on them.

Despite the fact the Indian constitution spelt out that land belonging to tribals could not be transferred to non-tribals, attempts were being made to mine Niyamgiri Hill, which was sacred for tribal community in Kalahandi district, said Lingaraj Azad of Niyamgiri Surakhya Samiti here. He also said people were the ultimate deciders.

“If people living in and around Niyamgiri do not want the mining to take place, no one can use force to dig the hill for bauxite,” Mr. Azad said.

Similarly, delegation of tribals from Kalinga Nagar area, upcoming steel hub in Jajpur district, expressed the similar views. Sini Soy, whose son was killed in police firing in 2006, said company-sponsored repressions were going on in Kalinga Nagar.

“We do not want this kind of development. Let the State government leave us to decide what livelihood we should opt. Industrial projects cannot be the means of development. We are happy in our villages,” Ms. Soy said.

She said it was not a matter compensation now, people were against displacement and they would not leave their place under any circumstances.

Similar sentiments were expressed by activists spearheading anti-displacement movements in Kashipur block of Rayagada district, Poscro’s project site in Jagatsinghpur, Gopalpur, Tata Steel’s proposed Special Economic Zone and several industrial projects site in Dhenkanal district.

Reacting to spate of industrial projects in the State and its potential to displace large number of people, president of Bharat Jana Andolan B.D. Sharma said nobody could take away land from villagers using money and muscle power.

“There has been repression everywhere.”

Social activists from Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and other states also participated in the public hearing, which was organised to highlight issues of displacement and violence sponsored by corporate houses.

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