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The Orissa High Court has directed Rayagada district administration to submit a report in connection with alleged police excesses on tribal villagers opposed to a bauxite mining project near their village.
Hearing a public interest litigation filed by Purushottam Hikaka and seven others, a Division Bench of Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Chittaranjan Dash directed the administration to maintain peace in villages close to mining site in Sijimali Hill located in the Rayagada and Kalahandi districts.
Several villagers have opposed the mining proposal saying it would destroy the surrounding water sources, ecology and their livelihood. The resistance intensified after Rayagada district administration tried to facilitate the laying of a road to mining site.
The April 7 order was made available online on Thursday.
