Thuamul Rampur: Tension has been mounting in western Odisha ahead of a public hearing on a proposed large-scale bauxite mining project in the Kutrumali Hills, a resource-rich region on the border of Kalahandi and Rayagada districts, after environmental clearance procedures were initiated by the state pollution regulator.
The Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) has scheduled a public hearing for May 12 on a proposal by M/s Kalinga Alumina Limited, associated with Adani Enterprises, which plans to extract around 4 million tonnes (4.0 MTPA) of bauxite annually from the Kutrumali block and establish an 800 tonnes-per-hour (TPH) crushing unit.
The project has triggered strong opposition from local tribal and Dalit communities, who describe it as a direct assault on their “Jal-Jami-Jangal” (water, land and forest) rights and their traditional dependence on local natural resources. Residents from villages including Kutrumali, Lelingpadar, Rakhiguda and Bhikapanga, under Thuamul Rampur and Kashipur tehsils have raised concerns over displacement, environmental destruction and loss of livelihoods.
Under a 2006 notification of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the public hearing is part of the mandatory environmental clearance process. However, the proposed venue and manner in which the hearing is set to be conducted have drawn sharp criticism from local communities and activists.
Instead of holding the hearing in the affected villages, the administration plans to conduct it at the block headquarters under heavy police deployment. Locals have termed the move exclusionary and undemocratic, alleging that it restricts meaningful participation and amounts to a “murder of democratic values.”
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Community representatives further argue that mandatory Gram Sabha consent is being bypassed, with the process seen as favouring corporate interests over indigenous rights. Environmental experts and activists warn that large-scale mining in the Kutrumali Hills could severely disrupt perennial streams originating in the region, threatening agriculture, biodiversity and water availability in downstream areas.
They also stress that the hills are ecologically sensitive and hold deep cultural and spiritual signifi cance for indigenous communities, forming an integral part of their identity and heritage. Police deployment is expected at the hearing venue amid concerns of protests and possible unrest.
While officials have not commented on allegations of procedural bias, they maintain that the public consultation will be conducted in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements. The issue has intensifi ed the broader debate in the region over development versus indigenous rights, with tensions rising as both supporters and opponents prepare for the upcoming hearing. Local groups have warned that continued disregard of community concerns could lead to a larger mass movement in the coming days.
