Context:

• This article is based on an Editorial “Fight against bauxite mining in Odisha: the view from the hill” which was published in the Hindu. The bauxite belt in southern Odisha’s Eastern Ghats is seeing an escalation of interest in mining, with the government auctioning sites to private companies processing it into aluminium.

Proposal of Excavation on the Sijimali Bauxite Deposit Site

• The Vedanta Group has proposed an excavation of 9 MTPA (million tonnes per annum) of ore over an area of 1,549.022 hectares on the Sijimali bauxite deposit site.
• Significance to the People: The mine would contribute ₹2,511.6 crore per annum to the State and Central government exchequers by way of mining revenue.
• Associated Concern: Bauxite deposits are known to store water, and if these sources are destroyed, it will unquestionably impact the lives of the local population.”

How many tribes are in Odisha?

• Currently, there are 62 tribes and 13 are from the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
• Power: All forest-dwelling communities are part of their village gram sabhas that take major decisions collectively. 
• They function under the Forest Rights Act, 2006. 
• The Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act, 1996, also gives the sabhas power, declaring them competent to safeguard and preserve the people’s traditions, customs, cultural identity, community resources, and community mode of dispute resolution.

Where is bauxite found in Odisha?

• Over 95% of the State’s bauxite reserves are concentrated in the East Coast Bauxite (Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt) region, particularly in the southern and western parts, including Koraput, Rayagada, Kalahandi, and Balangir districts, according to Odisha’s Directorate of Geology. 
• The region has 44 bauxite deposits. 
• The Gandhamardan hill, with 207 million tonnes of reserves, has been declared a biodiversity heritage site, a no-go mining zone. 
• Need for Aluminium: The demand for aluminium remains robust across four key sectors: transport (including automobiles), electrical, construction, packaging.

Also read: Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023

Conclusion

Economic development is a need of the hour but it should not be done by compromising the sustainability of the environment and emotions of the people. Similarly, the government is required to take people’s view of the region and then come up with any result, otherwise it could result in serious consequences.