Tribal groups pledge renewed resistance to Vedanta's Niyamgiri bauxite mining push

Vedanta Ltd. chief Anil Agarwal recently appealed to the Odisha government to revive the bauxite mining project in the Niyamgiri hills, meeting with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in Bhubaneswar. Tribal communities responded swiftly, with senior Niyamgiri Suraksha Manch member Krushna Sikaka declaring that their opposition remains as firm as it was when 12 gram sabhas unanimously rejected the plan in 2013 following a Supreme Court directive.

The Dongria Kondh, classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group, consider the hills sacred and integral to their cultural and economic survival, and they have pledged to resist any mining attempts, even at the risk of death. Activist Rajkishor Sunani of the Samajwadi Jan Parishad echoed the resolve, noting that leaders have faced imprisonment but will continue defending their way of life. Vedanta argues that the project could generate thousands of jobs and boost Odisha's industrial growth, citing its existing alumina refinery as a model. The renewed push occurs amid broader tensions over Vedanta's Sijimali project in the same region, where recent protests have turned violent.