Bhubaneswar: People belonging to various spheres in Odisha’s Kalahandi district on Wednesday demanded immediate steps for allocating permanent bauxite mines for the Vedanta plant in Lanjigarh.
The locals, who took out a rally in Kalahandi, sought Chief Minister Chief Minister Mohan Chandra Majhi’s intervention to ensure that the alumina refinery of Vedanta gets uninterrupted supply of bauxite.
They were of the view that proper functioning of the plant will play a significant role in boosting socio-economic growth and development of the tribal-dominated district. Therefore, immediate steps must be taken to ensure regular availability of bauxite for the plant, they contended.
A large number of locals took out a procession and gathered in the area to press their demand. They also submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister through the Collector and District Magistrate of Kalahandi and the Block Development Officer (BDO).
The procession started from the Horticulture Office premises in Biswanathpur and reached the Lanjigarh Block Office. More than 4,000 people from Lanjigarh Workers’ Association, Lanjigarh Merchants’ Association, Lanjigarh Drivers’ Association, Motor Vehicle Owners’ Association and various political and social organisations of Kalahandi and Rayagada districts participated in this Rally. The rally was led by Sridhar Pesnia, ex MLA Sibaji Majhi, MD Ayub, Rajendra Pratap Singh Deo, Himadri Pesnia and Lingaraj Majhi .
The memorandum highlights that the people of Kalahandi and Rayagada districts are happy over the establishment of an alumina refinery in Lanjigarh in Kalahandi, which was once known as one of the most backward regions of Odisha.
It said the existing mega plant of Vedanta, established in 2003, has been producing alumina for the nation ironically without any permanent source of raw material (bauxite) formally allocated to it for the last 21 years following which the plant in operation is not only bearing heavy loss, but also adversely affecting the livelihood of the communities both directly and indirectly.
The memorandum further pointed out that some other companies are yet to establish any plant in the region despite getting bauxite mines.
