Thuamul Rampur: Hundreds of residents and activists took out a massive protest rally in Thuamul Rampur block of Kalahandi district against the proposed Sijimali mining project.
The rally began at the premises of Maa Manikeshwari Temple and moved through the town before reaching the Thuamul Rampur tehsil office Tuesday.
Protesters raised slogans such as “Vedanta company murdabad,” “Mythri company murdabad,” and “Mythri company go back,” expressing strong opposition to Mythri Infra and Vedanta Ltd.
At the tehsil office, memoranda addressed to the Union and state mining ministers were submitted in the presence of Tehsildar Satya Sanatan Panigrahi and Additional Tehsildar Tapan Kumar Pati.
Residents alleged that Mythri Infra, a Vedanta-linked firm involved in the mining project, is “harassing common people by instilling fear of the police and administration”. They claimed that “land and vegetation are being damaged, affecting livelihoods.”
The protesters demanded immediate cancellation of the proposed public hearing and gram sabha for the project. They insisted that if a gram sabha is conducted in the future, it should involve only local residents of Thuamul Rampur and be held fairly and impartially. Villagers also sought administrative intervention, stating that “no work related to the project should proceed unless Mythri Infra is removed.”
Several residents, including Dambarudhar Maharana, Rabena Nayak, Balaram Kabadi, Bijay Pradhani, Satyanarayan Singh, Krishna Chandra Nayak, Bidyadhar Gouda, Kabit Gouda, Bir Singh Majhi, Rameshwar Bag and Magu Majhi, participated in the rally. Residents warned of intensifying the agitation if their demands are not addressed and local interests are not protected.
