Koraput: ‘Bhoomi Pujan’ for Serubandha bauxite mines in Pottangi area of Odisha’s Koraput district was stalled on Saturday following stiff opposition by local residents.
The groundbreaking ceremony, scheduled to be attended by Union Minister of State for Mines Satish Chandra Dubey, as locals strongly opposed the mining project, sources said.
A large number of villagers staged a protest at the venue and reportedly damaged the stage and name plaque. The protesters also blocked the guests’ way, forcing the minister and officials to go back.
The locals demanded that the issues relating to the area be addressed before the mining project commences. Despite attempts by Collector V Kirti Vasan, SP Abhinav Sonkar to pacify the demonstrators, they refused to relent.
As a result, the Union Minister and officials got stranded on the road for quite some time and finally the event was cancelled, the sources said.
Later, a meeting was convened and it was decided to conduct the groundbreaking after holding discussion with locals.
The Serubandha mine is a significant bauxite deposit, and the mining project has been a contentious issue in the region. The local residents demanded for a discussion on their issues before undertaking any projects.
