Orissa has lost much of forest already, making the Niyamgiris all the more important. The proposed mining site, 900 ha. of Reserved Forest, is home to the tiger, leopard, sambar, bison and other species. Perhaps more importantly, several streams and springs sprout from the area, giving birth to Vamsadhara, the only river in the region and a vital water source.
These forests enjoy an impressive crown density of over 40 per cent, according to the Government of India's Forest Survey Report. These are extremely rich and dense forests, with contiguity from Devagiri in Rayagada district to the Niyamgiri forests on the Rayagada-Kalahandi border and further into the forests of Karlapat and Thuamal Rampur in the Kalahandi district. The corridor then turns south connecting the Tikiri-Lilligumma and Gumma forests and then onto the Narayanapatna forests in the Koraput district. Tigers still inhabit these stretches. Over the last decade or so, severe deforestation in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts has turned these once green districts into veritable deserts as water sources dry up and starvation deaths make the headlines. Deforestation is one of principal causes of backwardness of the Koraput-Bolangir-Kalahandi area. This makes any proposal that will destroy tree cover and interfere with aquifers foolish, to say the least.
These hills are home to the Jarene or Dongria-Kandha tribe, whose way of life has been untouched by modern civilisation and remains in harmony with nature.
No assessment has been carried out on the biodiversity impacts of mining in these forests. The entire Niyamgiris have yet to be properly surveyed to assess their true biodiversity worth, a resource that will be lost forever if the mines become operational.
This Rs. 4,500 crore, export-oriented project will transport the mined bauxite to an alumina plant being set up at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi, five kilometres to the north.
Legal issues
The Forest Conservation Act, 1980 states that “…if a project involves forest and non-forest land, work should not be started on the non-forest land till the approval of the Central Government for release of forest land has been given." However three villages on non-forest land have already been demolished and their inhabitants summarily resettled. Construction work has begun in the area.
Additionally, the Sterlite Project falls in the Schedule V area notified by the Government, attracting the provisions of the Supreme Court judgment in the case of Samatha vs the State of Andhra Pradesh. This judgment not only prohibits the
sale of land, government or private, to non-adivasis in Schedule V areas, but also bars mining leases or prospecting licenses to mining companies. The state is also not permitted to acquire scheduled land without the prior informed consent of the Gram Sabha or village council. This provision has also been ignored.
Please take a few minutes to understand and then lend your name to the Sanctuary campaign to stop Mining in the Niyamgiri Hills. You can take the first step by writing a polite letter along the lines suggested and posting it to the parties concerned.
