Thuamul Rampur: MPs in Odisha across party lines have escalated concerns over unrest in the Sijimali hills, raising the issue with central authorities and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).
The MPs’ intervention comes amid reports of unrest in the Sijimali hills of Rayagada district, where tribal communities have been protesting over proposed mining by Vedanta. Reports said more than 40 protesters were injured in recent police action, even as residents continue to guard the hills day and night to protect their land.
Kalahandi MP Malvika Devi met Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy and submitted a memorandum on the situation in the Sijimali region, located along the Kalahandi–Rayagada border.
She said the hills are integral to the cultural identity and livelihood of tribal communities and stressed that no project should proceed without their consent. She also called for a review of environmental clearances, verification of Gram Sabha resolutions and protection of constitutional safeguards for Scheduled Tribes.
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Koraput MP Saptagiri Ulaka, after visiting affected villages with a fact-finding team, alleged irregularities in eight Gram Sabhas conducted in December 2023, terming them “fabricated”. In a statement, he also criticised the April 6 late-night police action, alleging that “power supply was cut around 3 am before security forces carried out an assault on villagers.”
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra has approached the NCST, seeking an impartial inquiry into alleged excesses against tribal residents. The commission has taken cognisance of the matter.
The issue has drawn attention across party lines, with MPs calling for a transparent Gram Sabha process on the lines of Niyamgiri and withdrawal of alleged false cases against tribal residents.
PNN
