Tribals in Orissa oppose projects by corporates on their lands
December 6th, 2009 - 7:34 pm ICT by ANI ( 3 comments )Puri, Dec 6(ANI): Hundreds of rural folk, a majority among them being tribals, in Orissa participated in a week-long rally to oppose the proposed projects by South Korean steel maker POSCO and the mining group Vedanta Resources.
Covering a distance of 150 kilometres, over 200 tribals hailing from 120 villages took out a protest rally from Dhinkia village to Puri on Saturday.
Activists led by social activist Medha Patkar also took part in the mass protest.
“These industries are not labour-intensive. These are becoming corporate power and they are holding and ruling this country because they are now not only funding the elections, but also funding the individual elected representatives and that is what has given them such an extra unconstitutional power that the decisions related to the development plans and projects that are no more rational, no more legal, no more constitutional,” Medha Patkar said.
Mining group Vedanta Resources wants to mine bauxite for its aluminium refinery in Orissa.
However, the project has bogged down since 2005, as the local tribals have opposed it by saying that it will rob vulnerable residents of their ancestral homes and also traditional means of livelihood.
According to officials of the Vedanta Resources, the company has so far invested 823 million dollars in the plant, and it will spend another 1.23 billion dollars to expand the capacity to six million tonnes from one million tonnes by 2011.
South Korean steel maker, POSCO on the other hand had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Orissa Government in June 2005 for the 12-million-tonne-capacity steel plant to be built in three phases by 2016, with production scheduled to begin by the end of 2011 at the completion of the first phase.
Ranked number four among the steel makers in the world, POSCO has said that it requires about 4,000 acres (1,620 hectares) of land, of which a large part is forested. But, the social activists have contended that the construction will force the tribal villagers off their farmland and displace about 20,000 people.
Threatened by these projects, the tribals and other affected villagers have formed a powerful people’s movement named Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti and Vedanta Vishvavidyalaya Virodhi Sangharash Samiti. (ANI)
- MNC funding elected representatives: Medha Patkar - Dec 06, 2009
- Niyamgiri tribals join anti-Posco protests - Jul 07, 2011
- Medha Patkar joins Anti-Posco protest - Jun 20, 2011
- Orissa Govt. hopeful of Posco not shifting its proposed steel plant from the State - Nov 13, 2010
- barricades are up again at Posco site - Feb 03, 2011
- Arrest of anti-Posco leader triggers tension - Nov 27, 2011
- Political parties to support anti-POSCO movement - Mar 01, 2011
- Over 1,600 families need rehabilitation in Posco site - Aug 04, 2011
- Orissa villagers observe 'Black Day' to protest Posco pact - Jun 22, 2011
- Jairam Ramesh: politics of compromise or middle path? - May 12, 2011
- Anti-displacement group protests nod to POSCO - Jan 31, 2011
- Medha Patkar joins anti-Posco protest (Lead) - Jun 20, 2011
- Orissa CM meets PM, seeks assurance on Vedanta, Posco projects - Aug 23, 2010
- Environment ministry to give decision on Vedanta mining project - Aug 24, 2010
- Orissa begins land acquisition for POSCO amid opposition (Lead) - Jul 28, 2010
Tags: bauxite, billion dollars, corporates, livelihood, mass protest, memorandum of understanding, mining group, orissa government, posco, protest rally, refinery, social act, social activist, south korean, steel maker, steel makers, steel plant, tribals, vedanta resources, vulnerable residents
December 8th, 2009 at 4:29 am
Dear Medha Patkar,
Please do this excellent social service in Maharastra, Gujurat or any developed state. Odisha is the poorest state and do not want to remain poor. We need projects now. Please comeback when we are well off like Maharastra or Gujurat.
Sincere thanks,
True Odiya
I am working since last 14 years outside my home state as we do not have jobs there. Please leave us so that we can have some job opportunity.
June 18th, 2010 at 6:08 pm
The local people were never against the idea of an Industrial Complex at Kalinganagar and accepted the land compensation willingly. But when it came to the actual process of displacement and relocation, they were led astray by activists who took every measure to create unfounded doubts in their minds, leading to a general feeling of hostility towards industrialisation.
June 22nd, 2010 at 7:34 pm
It is utterly deplorable how members of the ‘Bishtapan Birodhi Jan Manch’ are carrying on atrocities against the innocent people of Orissa and trying to blame industrialists for all their wrongdoings. BBJM has plundered and looted even the simple-most belongings that these people have. As somebody who is honestly hopeful about the future of Orissa I wish that people would see behind the plottings of BBJM and stand against their selfish objectives.
WHY THE BISTAPANA BIRODHI JANAMANCHA LEADERS WANT KALINGANAGAR AGITATION TO CONTINUE ?
Shocking Reasons for Rabi Jarika wanting to continue agitation - information of ALL
After Chakradhar Haibri (Sr), the President of VVJM along with senior leaders accepted the state government compensation and rehabilitation package along with 850 families ( out of a total of 1200 families), the general tribals in Kalinganagar want peaceful and sustainable industrialisation.
But why is it that 3 to 4 leaders of BBJM are not allowing it happen?
THE REASONS ARE SHOCKING AND STRICTLY PERSONAL IN NATURE ! Let us analyse the reasons of Rabi Jarika of Chandia for continuing the agitation.
1. Dabar Kalundia has Rs 5 LAKH per Month contract in nearby industries in Jindals, Visa Steel, Rohit Ferro Alloys in Kalinganagar and he earns a neat amount of Rs 100,000 per month from the contract. Recently Jindals gave him Rs 20 lakh CHANDA to re-install a EHT Electric Tower, which is passing though his village in Chandia.
2. Orissa High Court has passed orders against him for molesting Basanti Badra – a tribal women in Open Market in Duburi.
3. Orissa High Court has directed action against Rabi Jarika in case of death of sanjoy Soi due to 18 months NH 200 blockade by Rabi Jarika and his other friends.
4. Orissa High Court has passed orders against Rabi Jarika in case of Jagabandhu Tamsay and his aged mother for dacoity, molestation attempt and attempt to murder.
5. Rabi Jarika is also a conspirator in the muder case of Sridhar Soy of Gobarghati
6. Rabi Jarika and his late brother have swindled about Rs 50 lakhs of tribal money through a Chit Fund Company during 1992-98. This is period when Kalinganagar tribals first recieved compensation for their land in Kalinganagar.
7. Rabi Jarika’s links with extreme left wing elements. This has also been confirmed by Rabi Jarika’s mother-in-Law Mrs Sabita Jamuda’s Press Statement in 2008.
The above are some of the reasons for which Rabi Jarika wants the agitation at Kalinganagar to continue even if the general tribals are in favour of progress.