How Vedanta’s mine hope rests on 12 tribal villages
In a remote village in the eastern Indian state of Orissa tribespeople have gathered under hastily erected sheds to decide whether to allow mining group Vedanta to extract bauxite from the earth. Vedanta, owned by Indian businessman Anil Agarwal, wants to extract bauxite from the 92 sq miles (240 sq km) Niyamgiri hill range which is revered by the Dongria Kondh tribe. The Dongria Kondh say the mining project will destroy their sacred hill and their source of livelihood. Vedanta has said the project would bring jobs and development to one of India’s poorest districts.
See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-23585760.
Odisha: Eleventh Gram Sabha rejects Niyamgiri mining plan
Khambesi gram sabha in Rayagada district opposes mining in Niyamgiri. The eleventh Gram Sabha held at Khambesi village under Muniguda block in Rayagda unanimously rejected the proposed mining project atop Niyamgiri hill held sacred by the local tribal people.
See http://www.orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=43181.
Niyamgiri answers: People veto bauxite mining, but Vedanta is unlikely to let go of the bounty
People’s no to mining means little to Vedanta. The London Stock Exchange-listed firm has its eyes set not just on 72 million tonnes of bauxite in Niyamgiri, but neighbouring districts also which have rich deposits totalling 1.8 billion tonnes.
See http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/niyamgiri-answers#comment-17298.