Congress lends support to tribals to oust Vedanta from Kalahandi

New Delhi, Aug 22: The ruling Congress at the Centre has lent its support to the tribals and the green activists, who had been relentlessly pursuing for the past three years, to oust Vedanta Alumina factory from the virgin forests of Lanjigarh in drought-prone Kalahandi.

As their voice amid the hill-locked Lanjigarh failed to reach the Central and State governments, more than 100 activists and tribals congregated in an air-conditioned auditorium here, much to their discomfort, to shout that the Vedanta Alumina project would lead to the peril of Kalahandi.

The Congress sent Union Minister of Programme Implementation Oscar Fernandes and Chariperson of the National Conference of SC and ST Dilip Singh Bhuria to attend the seminar to listen to the plights of the tribals and impact of environment degradation on this fragile region.

Apart from expressing their concern, they also promised to apprise to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress Chairperson Sonia Gandhi about the situation.

But the moot question at the day-long seminar yesterday apart from sufferings of tribals of Kalahandi, was-'' Would Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram let the UPA Government to initiate some drastic step at this juncture?'' Incidentally, Mr Chidambaram was one of the board members of the Anil Agrawal-promoted Vedanta Alumina Ltd (VAL) before he became Finance Minister in the Union Cabinet and very close to the owner.

The Speakers were unanimous in their voice that exploitation of tribals and local people would lead to Naxalism in the region, which already spread its tentacles in the neighbouring districts of Koraput, Navrangpur, Sambalpur and others.

Social Worker Sidharth Nayak presented a video show to apprise the audience on the impact of the mining on the environment, wildlife and tribals.

Speaking at the seminar ''Development and Displacement'' Justice Rajender Sachar said, ''The people of Orissa had lost the battle of Kalinga, but defeated the mighty Ashoka. So also the gritty people of Orissa would win the battle against the Vedanta.'' Tribal Leader Kumuti Majhi said, ''I do not want such development which leads to the devastation of my mother nature.'' Former Union Ministers Srikant Jena and Bhakta Charan Das alleged that Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had taken a kickback from Industrialist Anil Agrawal for setting up the Alumina plant.

Mr Jena said, ''Once again you have exposed yourself by almost admitting to have entered into a murky deal with Vedanta, obviously for a huge kickback.'' Instead of selling bauxite at a low price of Rs 148 per tonne to the Vedanta Aluminium Limited(VAL), the state government should have floated a global tender as the price of the mineral is 33 dollars (Rs 1600) in the US.'' Both the Congress leaders alleged that Mr Patnaik had laid the foundation stone of the factory at Lanjigarh in backward district of Kalahandi in 2003, one year before the agreement was signed between the VAL and Orissa Government.

Prof T K Oommen said, ''Vedanta's operations in Orissa raise many questions, which defy standard answers.'' Prof Manoranjan Mohanty of Delhi University said, ''Anil Agrawal's offer to set up a world class university in the state is a bribe that Oriyas do not need.'' Mr Das, a former Lok Sabha Member from Kalahandi, said the VAL was asked to set up the plant without seeking mandatory environmental clearance from the Union Forest and Environment Ministry.

Leader Prakash Ambedkar boosted the morale of the activists saying that he would lend his support till the company was ousted from the region.

UNI