Green drive to oppose mining

KORAPUT: Tribals in Koraput district on Tuesday took a novel route to protest against Vendanta's bid to mine Danga Deulo range for bauxite. They planted saplings of mango, jackfruit and cashew on Maliunda hill.
Danga Deulo lies between Malimunda and Kanhai hills.
"Mining at Danga Deulo will not only affect the ecology of the region but erode the soil and hit agricultural activities, which is our main source of livelihood," said Chaitanya Bhoi, president of Malimunda-Kanhai Pahad Surakhya Samiti (MKPSS), an anti-mining outfit.It has been formed by villagers of Danga Deulo, Masiput, Dumuriguda, Kolab, Thatguda, Chandalguda, Champaguda, Rangabalikumbha, Kanhaiput and Lankaput.
The villagers alleged that horticulture and forest departments refused them saplings and they had to make their own arrangements. "The forest officers said the hill has been leased out for mining and hence, they cannot provide us saplings," said Bhoi. The plantation drive will continue for a few more days, he added.
"The hill has several perennial sources of water, which will dry up if mining takes place. It is situated a few metres from Kolab reservoir and any type of mining will affect its catchment areas. At least 10 villages will be directly affected by mining on the hill," said secretary of the outfit Uday Pangi. After Vedanta's hope to mine Niyamgiri hill in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts for bauxite was dashed after the palli sabhas rejected its bid in 2013, the company applied for laterite deposits in Koraput and Rayagada districts as it contains certain percentage of bauxite for its Lanjigarh refinery. In June 2004, the state government provided prospecting licence (PL) to Vedanta for laterite mining at Danga Deula spread over 150 hectare.
Mining officials said the PL is valid for two years and during this period the company is permitted to mine around 50 tonne laterite to find its alumina content. If the content is low then the company will be granted 20 years of lease. It has to apply for fresh mining lease if it is high in alumina.