Shri Kamal Krishna Banerjee's letter to Shri Naveen Patanayak,CM; Odisha.

Sri Nabin Pattanayak

Hon’ble Chief Minister

Orissa

                                                                             18.10.2018

Sir

      On 15^th October Raigad  police arrested leading member of Niyamgiri Suraksha Samity - Sathi  Dhadi Kadraka from Muniguda and brutally assaulted him. To lodge protest against such undemocratic and unruly act of your police,  National Vice- President of Samajwadi  Jan Parisad Satihi  Lingraj Azad has convened a peaceful demonstration on 23^rdOctober at Raigard.  But Police  constantly putting pressure upon Satihi  Lingraj Azad to postpone the programme  on 23^rd October. Even S.P of the  neighbouring district  Kalahandi  called Satihi  Lingraj Azad at PS and put pressure on him to  postpone 23^rd October program. These kind of arm twisting act of your police administration is not only undemocratic, abuse of power but also violates the fundamental right of assembly and freedom of expression.

         You are aware that Niyamgirii Suraksha Samity  has all along  organised various kinds of movements in a peaceful democratic manner to protect interest of the Adibasi community of Nyamgiri Hills from the attempt of the  Vedanta Company  to take over Nyamgiri hills for boxite mining.   

      You may recall that by the order of the Hon’ble Supreme Court  opinion of the Adibasi inhabitants was taken. At that time despite all kinds of harassment, allurement and fear let lose by the Vedanta Company with the active aid of the state and central govt. and also ignoring the call of the Maoist to boycott opinion poll not a single vote was given in favour of Vedanta Company.

 

        It seems that Vendata Company again appears in the scene and Orissa police is acting at the behest of the Vedanta Company to destroy the peaceful democratic struggle of the innocent Adibasi of Nyamgiri Hills to save their life, livelihood  and environment in and around the Niyamgiri Hills from the clutch of the ill famed Vedanta Company.

        We strongly condemn such illegal act of your  police appeal to you to restrain the Raygard Police from creating any obstruction for holding peaceful demonstration of Nyamgiri Surksha Samity to be held on 23^rd. October.

 

Yours sincerely

Kamal Krishna Banerjee

National President

Samajwadi  Jan Parisad

Jalpaiguri (West Bengal)

India.

Rights groups cry foul

Rights groups cry foul



Staff Reporter



‘Doctors being made scapegoats’






BHUBANESWAR: Human rights activists and anti-displacement leaders on Saturday demanded that the State government should dismiss senior officials who were responsible for ordering the three doctors to chop off palms of tribals killed in police firing in Kalinganagar area.

Sympathising on doctors’ agitation to revoke dismissal proceedings against three doctors, three organisations, Lokshakti Abhijan, Samajwadi Jana Parishad and CPI (ML) New Democracy said that doctors were unnecessarily being made scapegoats.

“ The government led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is the main culprit in whole incident.

Not a single government official barring doctors was suspended in the incident of police firing that led to death of 14 tribals,” said Prafulla Samantra of Lokshakti Abhijan.

Pointing out that doctors came to the scene only after death of tribals, Mr. Samantra said, “former collector, Superintendent of Police and senior government officials of Jajpur district who were responsible for firing have let off.

A judicial inquiry which was instituted to probe the case has also been weakened.”

Similarly, Lingaraj from Samajwadi Jana Parishad said doctors were under pressure from senior administrators to do the chopping of palms.

He ridiculed the approach of State government to deal with issues associated with the gory incident.

Many tribals had become handicapped in the firing but instead of extending them a free treatment, State government had ignored the matter, Mr. Lingaraj said.

The activists said this was an attempt of State government to divert attention of people from the main issue by picking up doctors.







Courtesy
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Tribals plan to stop Vedanta vehicles

Date:12/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/12/stories/2009011255210800.htm
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Other States - Orissa

Tribals plan to stop Vedanta vehicles



Staff Reporter



Niyamgiri Bachao Samity conducts meet





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Meeting also attended by other activists supporting the agitation

Over 7,000 primitive Dongria Kondh tribals live in the region


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BERHAMPUR: Members of the Niyamgiri Bachao Samity (NBS) on Sunday held a meeting at Sakata under Muniguda block in Rayagada district to plan their future plans to oppose mining in the Niyamgiri hills in south Orissa.

Around 1,000 delegates from villages to be affected by proposed mining in the Niyamgiri hills from Lanjigarh block of Kalahandi district and Bisamkatak, Muniguda, Kalyansinghpur blocks of Rayagad district participated in the meeting. Most of them were members of Dongria Kondh community, one of the ancient tribes of the country.

The tribals decided to stop entry of vehicles and officials of both Government and Vendanta Alumina Limited (VAL) into the Niyamgiri area. “We have also vowed not to allow construction of new roads in the remote Niyamgiri area which will facilitate mining in the region at the cost of the environment,” said Dongria tribal leader Jitendra Jakesika. The NBS has decided to hold a large tribal rally at Muniguda in the second week of February as a show of strength against the proposed mining in Niyamgiri area.

This meeting was also attended by environmental activist, Praful Samantra, Samjawadi Janparishad leader Lingaraj Azad and CPI-ML (New Democracy) leader, Bhala Chandra Sarangi, who have extended support to the agitation.

The Niyamgiri hill range houses dense forests, wild animals with ample bio-diversity. As per the official records 7,987 primitive Dongria Kondh tribals live in this region. From this region emerge the Rushikulaya and Nagavali rivers of south Orissa. It may be noted that the VAL is setting up an alumina refinery at an estimated investment of over Rs. 4,000 crores in Orissa. The construction of refinery unit is complete.

This refinery is to depend on ores mined from Niyamgiri region. But the mining has been delayed due to court cases and protest by green activists

The legal stumbling blocks in the path of mining in the region have got removed. Yet the stiff opposition of the locals of around 104 tribal villages to be affected by this controversial mining project has prevented start of mining work. Since Nov 10 last year the tribals have not allowed the VAL officials to enter the region and start construction of wider road for movement of heavy vehicles needed for mining work.








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