Bhawanipatna (Odisha), Oct 18 (PTI) The Kalahandi district administration on Wednesday held the public hearing for environment clearance of Vedanta Limited’s Sijimali bauxite reserve, an official said.
The public hearing for 10 affected villages was held at Kerpai under Thuamul Rampur block of Kalahandi district, the official said.
Of the 18 villages to be affected due to the proposed mining at the Sijimali bauxite block, 10 villages were located in the Kalahandi district while 8 others come under the Rayagada district jurisdiction.
The public hearing in Rayagada district was held on Monday.
Vedanta Limited has received the letter of intent for the Sijimali Bauxite block over an area of 1,549.022 hectares having an estimated bauxite deposit of 311 million tonne and it has entrusted Maytra company for mining.
The 10 villages of Kalahandi under Thuamul Rampur Tehsil for which the public hearing was held on Wednesday were: Tijmali, Chulbadi, Ambajhola, Mahajal, Nakrundi, Taramundi , Upper Ambapadar, Salebali, Tadadei and Tal Ambapadar, the official said.
“The views of affected villagers have been video recorded and written views also collected. They were asked to freely express their views. These will be submitted to Odisha Pollution Control Board,” said Kalahandi, Additional District Magistrate (ADM), Tanmaya Darwan.
The ADM claimed that there were more outsiders at the public hearing venue than the local residents. He said the outsiders mostly raised slogans against the bauxite mining.
Many villagers mostly tribals and dalits were seen holding placards written in English language but in the Odiya script, an official said. PTI COR AAM AAM RG
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