Villagers stage a protest against the proposed Sijimali bauxite mining hill area village in Rayagada district of Odisha.

| Photo Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT

The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), a forum of activists, on Thursday (May 28, 2026) urged the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to reject an expert panel’s recommendation for environmental clearance to start mining operations in Sijimali Bauxite Mine in Odisha’s Rayagada and Kalahandi districts.“On May 15, 2026, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) recommended environmental clearance for various projects, allegedly ignoring the objections of the affected local population. Mining at Sijimali threatens to destroy the Panichida-Shuagad river and more than one hundred perennial streams, including Ranijhola, Jamu, and Gurungijhola,” said NAPM’s Prafulla Samantara and Narendra Mohanty in a statement.Stating that the destruction of these waterfalls and streams would end the cultivation of millets and other agricultural activities in the region, Mr. Samantara said this will result in a severe livelihood crisis for the tribal and Dalit communities, leading to an environmental catastrophe.“Moreover, the local communities hold sacred religious rights at the Tiji Raja worship site, which will be desecrated by mining activities,” they said. The activists alleged that forest land transfer and land acquisition were being carried out forcibly based on fraudulent gram sabhas.​Mr. Samantara said the expert committee’s recommendation favouring Vedanta Limited was unjust and overlooked the ground reality of ecological importance and tribal’s right to life and livelihoods.“​The tribal and Dalit communities have been protesting democratically despite facing police brutality, including lathi charge and gunfire. Currently, 12 villagers have been in jail for the past three months due to their involvement in the movement,” the NAPM leaders said.​”We urge the Union Ministry of Environment to reject this clearance recommendation and call upon the State Government to cancel the mining lease. If these demands are not met, a massive intensification of the people’s movement is inevitable,” they said. Published - May 28, 2026 06:02 pm IST