By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Malvika Devi, the BJP Member of Parliament from the Kalahandi Lok Sabha constituency in Odisha , which covers parts of the affected region of proposed Bauxite Mining by Vedanta Group, has written to G. Kishan Reddy, the Union Minister of Coal & Mines urging his intervention.
The letter of Kalahandi MP bears significance as it came few days after a BJP delegation visited the affected sites led by Nabarangpur MP Balabhadra Majhi.
The letter concerns ongoing tensions and protests in the Sijimali hills region, which spans the border between Kalahandi and Rayagada districts in southern Odisha. This area is rich in bauxite reserves.
MP Malvika Devi writes in her capacity as the local MP (representing Kalahandi) and as a member of relevant parliamentary committees. She draws the minister’s attention to the “ongoing disturbance” in the Sijimali region and emphasizes the deep dependence of tribal and local people on the hills for livelihood, sustenance, and cultural identity.
She urges utmost sensitivity to their fears of displacement, environmental harm, and loss of traditional rights. She humbly places the following three specific demands of the affected tribal peoples and villagers before the minister:
Review of Clearances — Re-examine all environmental, forest, and other approvals granted for the project.
Verification of Gram Sabha Consent — Properly check and validate the consent processes (addressing allegations of irregularities).
Protection of Tribal Rights and Ecology — Ensure safeguards for indigenous rights and the local environment.
She stresses that ground realities require intervention through dialogue, consent, and compassion rather than rushed processes. She positions herself as standing with the people of Sijimali and Kalahandi, and requests prompt attention and necessary action in the interest of the affected villagers.
This is notable because Malvika Devi is from the ruling BJP (at both central and state levels in Odisha at the time), and the project was advanced under previous/state processes. Her intervention publicly highlights local concerns within her constituency, potentially pressuring the central government (which handles key clearances like forest diversion) to pause or review aspects of the project.
It frames the issue around tribal welfare, democratic consent, and ecological protection — core elements of laws like the FRA and PESA — rather than outright opposing mining or development. The timing (just days after the April 7 clashes) suggests a response to escalating protests and violence.
In 2023, the Odisha government allocated the Sijimali bauxite mining block (approximately 1,549 hectares, including significant forest land) to Vedanta Limited (through a subsidiary or partner like Mythri) for large-scale open-cast mining, potentially producing millions of tonnes of bauxite annually to feed alumina refineries.
Local tribal (Adivasi) communities, primarily Kondh and other indigenous groups, have strongly opposed the project. They rely on the hills and surrounding forests for: Livelihoods (minor forest produce, agriculture, grazing) Water sources.
Protests intensified around road construction to access the mining site. A major clash occurred on 7 April 2026 in villages like Kantamal, involving police action (tear gas, lathi charges) and counter-protests, resulting in dozens of injuries on both sides. Tribals allege police repression and forced actions; authorities cite attacks on personnel.
Key grievances include allegations of:
Forged or manipulated Gram Sabha consents under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006 and PESA Act (required for forest diversion and mining in Scheduled Areas). Villagers claim meetings were not properly held, signatures were faked (including of minors or deceased persons), or resolutions were fabricated. Some independent Gram Sabhas later rejected the project.
Lack of genuine Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC).
Risks of displacement, environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity, water scarcity, and cultural erosion.
This echoes the famous Niyamgiri hills case (also in the same broader region), where Dongria Kondh tribals successfully halted a Vedanta bauxite project through Gram Sabha rejections upheld by the Supreme Court.
