Nalco’s Pottangi bauxite mining proposal unexpectedly turns positive, but with conditional support

On 9^th November 2021, in an unanticipated jolt, a meeting summoned in connection with the proposed bauxite mining in Pottangi by Nalco concluded on a positive account with the village inhabitants conferring conditional support to the drive.

ITDA, the Koraput Integrated Tribal Development Agency officials had issued a notification to nine villages incorporating  Malkarabanda, Sipaiput, Erasantagurda, Katraguda, Pottangi, Sisaguda, Madamgandhi, Thuria and Karnajaguda for contemporary conduct of the meeting. However, this was deliberated to settle the abiding dispute between the village inhabitants and Nalco over redirection of forest land for mining under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006.

The affected village population of the block put forward a document of demands to be fulfilled before the exploitation of the mines. This comprised outermost development in mining areas, education and skill development in the villages beside permanent jobs offering and basic amenities to affected people by Nalco. Furthermore, the inhabitants also requisitioned towards preservation of perennial streams adjoining the mining areas and positioning of a pipeline to supply water to their plowable lands.

Mr PK Dwivedi, Manager of Nalco said: “We have received a positive response from the villagers and their demands will be taken into consideration. Apprehending law and order situation, security arrangement was also put in place.”

The ADMs of Koraput, Rameswar Pradhan and Rajendra Majhi and some Nalco officials were present in the meeting.