Rayagada: Police on Thursday detained environmentalist Medha Patkar after she arrived in Rayagada to participate in a public meeting at Hatpada under Kashipur block on the occasion of World Environment Day.
According to sources, the event was planned to protest against the proposed bauxite mining by Vedanta Limited. Patkar was expected to join the gathering to support local opposition to the mining operations organised by anti-mining forum ‘Maa Mati Mali Surakshya Mancha’ at Sunger Hatapada village.
She alonh with 24 others, including activist Prafulla Samantra and IRS officer Sunanda Jhodia, citing that her presence at the protest at Sunger Hatapada village, organised by anti-mining forum ‘Maa Mati Mali Surakshya Mancha’, could create a law-and-order situation.
However, police detained her along with 23 other before they could travel to the event venue and attempted to dissuade her from participating in the meeting, stating that their presence could create a law-and-order situatio. “I was stopped by the police at the railway station. We were allowed to visit the home of a journalist who had come to pick us. But we are not being allowed to attend the programme,” Patkar told a local channel.
She further stated that they were shown the order of Rayagada collector Parul Patawari’, which included names of over 25 people requesting to deny them entry into the town. “It said that we are here to instigate people,” she added.
The order, dated June 4, said there is a reasonable apprehension the movement and the presence of Patkar and other activists may lead to deterioration of law and order, disturb public peace and hinder smooth conduct of administrative affairs and development processes in the district. “Therefore in exercise of the powers conferred under Sec 163(3) of Bharatiya Nagarik Surakhya Sanhita,2023, Collector hereby issues prohibiting order restricting the above named individuals from entering or remaining present in Rayagada district for a period of two months from the date of issue of this order & participating in or instigating any form of protest, Dharana or unlawful assemblies within the said area. Any violation of this order shall be liable for action as per the law,” it added.