Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 13:38:15 +0000 (GMT)
From: =?iso-8859-1?q?antagonism=20press?= <antagonism1-AT-yahoo.com>
Subject: AUT: TRIBALS' WAR AGAINST INDUSTRIALISATION 


The following is a report of struggles in Kashipur that I
received recently:

Dear friend

		
	We, the people of Kashipur (Dist Rayagada) would like to share
our experiencs of last 8 years’ struggle and solicit your
support for it.

	In the year 1992-93, Utkal Alumina entered Kashipur to start
survey work. We were told, probably apprehending opposition,
that the survey was for railway line. But we got to know the
real motive behind the survey work was to set up a gigantic
alumina plant. Since then we have been opposing it.

“You collector!,  police!, minister! have not created this land
nor this forest, nor have the Govt. settled us here. We have
been staying here for generations. We would never leave our land
and forest”. Our mothers and sisters have replied this to govt.
officials umpteen times. So have we put this before others. This
has been our main battle cry.

“We are the worm of the earth, lives off the earth”. The earth
is integral to our living system. We cannot live without that.
It gives us food, meet our other demands. Our land is blessed
with perennial streams. Perhaps because of the presence of
bauxite. Using water of the streams we grow vegetables. Forest
is also a great help. Our land, our forest, our streams are our
present, so also our future.

But the Govt. is forcing us to accept Alumina project in the
name of development and paying no heed to our opposition. Rather
3 of our beloved brothers were gunned down. But we are not
afraid. We are determined not to forget supreme sacrifices of 
our beloved brothers to protect our land and not to allow the
company. We are also opposed to all all the big projects (Plant,
Mining, Sanctuary big Dam, Reserve forest etc.) in the tribal
dominated area. So we are interested in developing relationship
with other struggles, organisations and individuals.

We are concerned about our own development. We want agricultural
development not industrial development. Small check dams using
stream of our area will be very helpful for us. That would not
only lessen the burden of shifting cultivation or but also more
forests will grow. We also want jungle based medical facilities
and education system in harmony with our tradition, cultural and
above all the way of living. For some of we are demanding before
the Govt. and for some other we trying on our own. In this
situation, we see your help and support in the following way:

a)	Your active help as you are opposed to big projects;
b)	Technical/monetary help for forest and educational system
based on our culture;
c)	Material/technical help for development of irrigation
facilities;

(You can send money through money order and cheque to Shri
Bhagabat Prasad Rath, Ryot Colony, Rayagada –2 Orissa)



We hope and believe that you will actively help.

BHAGABAN MAJHI)
CONVENOR, PRAKRUTIK SAMPAD SURAKSHYA PARISHAD



A FACT SHEET ABOUT THE STRUGGLE

·	Orissa possesses 69.7% of the total bauxite deposited in India
and are mostly concentrated in KBK districts ( Koraput,
Kalahandi and Bolangir).
·	
·	2130 lakh  ton is deposited in the Gandhamardan areas
(Bolangir-Sambalpur) and the rest are in 5 adjacent blocks of
undivided Korput and Bolangir.
·	
·	1957.3 lakh ton in Baphli mali and 810 lakh ton in Sasubahu
mali of Kashipur block , dist. Rayagada; 860 lakh ton in Siji
mali and 400 lakh ton in Kutru mali of Rayagada-Kalahandi
district; 914 lakh ton in Kodinga mali of Laxmipur block of
Koraput district. Bauxite is also deposited in Ghusuri mali and
Sijli mali of  Dasmantpur block and also in Niyamgiri area of
Lanjigarh block in Khadual mali of Thuamal-Rampur block of
Kalahandi district. This is a vast bauxite zone, which
constitutes a sizeable portion of KBK area.

The Utkal Alumina Project will source bauxite through opencast
mining from Baphli mali of Maikanch Panchayat. Bauxite will be
transported to the plant site at Doraguda, Kucheipadar panchayat
(25 km from mining area) through conveyor belt. Alumina will be
exported through Visakhapatna port.

Utkal Alumina is a joint venture. In 1992, INDAL, TATA, Hydro
(Norway) and ALCAN (Canara)  were part of the venture. Hydro and
TATA have withdrawn. HINDALCO of Birla India have replaced
INDAL. Earlier the production was scheduled to begin by 2002 now
rescheduled for 2005. According to project report people’s
agitation is a worrying factor.

The plant at Doraguda will directly affect 2500 people of 24
villages of Kucheipadar, Hadiguda and Tikri Panchayat (for
plant, red mud pond and ash pond). But the company claims that
147 families of 3 villages will be affected.

42 villages of Chandragiri, Maikanch and Kodipari panchayat will
be directly affected for the open-cast mining at Baphli mali.
But the company claims that not a single village will be
affected.

In the year 1995, L & T started survey work in Siji mali and
Kutru mali of Kashipur-Thuamal-Rampur blocks of
Rayagada-Kalahandi). The proposed plant was to be set up at the
village Kusumsila, Sikarpai panchayat, Kalyansingpur blcok, dist
Rayagada. Due to strong opposition the company has stopped work.

Recently Sasubahu mali has been leased to Sterlite Company.
Villagers of 5 panchayats around the mali vehemently opposed the
survey team and did not allow them to survey.

Under the banner of “Khadualmali Surakhsya Vahini” people of 8
panchayats of Thuamul-Rampur block, dist Kalahadi are protesting
against bauxite mining. Similar voice of protest has been raised
against Sterlite company in Lanjigarh area (specifcally in
Botlima and Lanjigarh panchayat).


SOME IMPORTANT MOMENTS IN THE MOVEMENT

11.11993 – A 18-member team met the then chief minister late
Biju Pattanaik and demanded cancellation of the project. For
some time company activities slowed down and but again got
activated.

December, 1994 – Villagers of Kucheipadar snatched away
insturments of survey team and set their camp on fire.

1995 – Protest against L & T gained momentum in Srunger area.
Protestors destroyed the camp of the survey team. Police
arrested 15 protestors. The case is still running.

14.02.1996 – Formally Prakrutik Sampad Surakshya Parishad (PSSP)
was formed in a mass meeting. Many important leaders of various
people’s struggles participated in it.

March 1997 – Company floated an NGO – Utkal Rural Development
Society (URDS) to win over people through developmental work
like distribution of plants, construction of roads etc. PSSP
opposed work of URDS and did not allow it do any thing.
Protestors destroyed the Resettlement Colony of the company.

5.1.1998 – To stop entry of the company a barricade was raised
at Kucheipadar. Police tried to break the barricade forcefully
and resorted to lathicharge and lobbed treargas. Nearly 50
people got injured including 12 women.

1998 December-1999 January – A 15 day foot march was organised
to co-ordinate all the agitation of the area from Laksmipur to
Baphli mali.

8.2.1999 – A call for united struggle of Kashipur and Laxmipur
was given in a massive meeting at Tikri.

1999-2000 – All developmental activities of the company were
stopped and at many places they were destroyed.

16.12.2000 – Police gunned down 3 tribals (Damodar Jhodia,
Abhilash Jhodia and Raghunath Jhodia) and injured 8 others.

20.12.2002 – A road blockade was organised at Rapkana. 5000
people with traditional weapons participated in it. The success
of the programm gave a new life to the movement.

30.1.2001 – In protest against Maikanch firing, an `Oath March’
from Maikanch to Kashipur was organised. “ We are not afraid to
die, we will not leave our land” – taking this oath 10,000
people with their traditional weapon went on a march to Kashipur
to give a befitting reply to the killer govt. Many people from
various struggles of Orissa participated in it.

17.9.2001 – A charter of demands were placed before the govt. to
solve the problem of starvation death wherein irrigation
facility through check dams and mobile medical team were
demanded.

Nov. 2001 – The survey work of Sterlite company in Sasubahu mali
area was foiled.

March, 2002 – With the support of local tribals the survey work
at Thuamul Rampur (dist Kalahandi) was opposed.

May 28 , 2002 – Demanding cancellation of all bauxite projects
in KBK districts, a big rally was organised  at Tikri. 

Our Experiences:

Ours is a tribal dominated area. For our day to day life, we
depend so less on market and Govt. that if the Govt. unleashes
terror on our struggle, we can withstand it and can continue to
fight. We do not feel the Govt. is for us. |Our experiences of
the last 10-years struggle are as follows:

(a)	In a public interest litigation (1998), filed against the
UAIL, the High Court in its verdict said: “ the project will not
pollute the environment as it is using the latest technology. It
will no affect the environment, tribal culture and fauna of the
locality. Hence the project should be allowed.”  This makes us
believe that the court is for the company not for the people.
(b)	All the major mainstream political parties (BJD, BJP &
Congress) formed a Committee – All Party Committee – to support
the company. We are fully aware of the complicity of the
committee in the Maikanch police firing on 16th December 2000.
(c)	There is a lot of talk on the unlimited powers of 
“Gramsabha” in Scheduled areas. The Gramsabhas of Kucheipadar
and Maikanch panchayats had recommended for scrapping the treaty
signed with the company. Again after Maikanch firing, Govt. on
its own, had organised Gramsabha meeting on 29th  December 2000
in 6 Gram Panchayats (Kucheipadar, Maikanch, Gorakhpur, Tikri,
Kodipari, Srunger) to seek the opinion of local people on the
project. All the GPs had given opinion against the project and
for the scrapping the treaty. We feel the slogan `power to
people through Gramsabha’ is nothing but eyewash.
(d)	The Maikanch firing has opened our eyes to the real face of
the Govt. It is our vote and revenue (land) that is running the
Govt. The same Govt. is raining lathis/bullets on us. Though the
Govt. is giving BPL rice and old age pension, we do not think it
would not be oppressive.
(e)	Big industrial projects in Kashipur are touted as
developmental activities. We do not feel so. So we are opposed
to them. We have seen what has happened to our people in
undivided Koraput district because of these development
projects. We are opposed to all big projects (dams, mining,
plants, sanctuary & reserved forest area etc.) because we do not
feel they will do any good to us, tribals and dalits.
(f)	We feel that we are left with no option but fight. We will
continue to fight and develop solidarity with all other
struggling people to strengthen the resistance of all of us.

DEVELOPMENT: the way we see

Our opposition to big industrial projects is being dubbed as
`anti-development’. But we want our own development, in our own
way not the way leaders, bureaucrats, contractors, traders see
it. They find our development in big projects like Damanjodi,
Indravati, Kolab etc.  For us those our graveyards. We have been
made the sacrificial goats for this sort of development. Others
have reaped benefits. Our area is known outside for its
backwardness and starvation death. In 1987,  Rajiv Gandhi, then
Prime Minister had come Kashipur when starvation death was
reported in the press. Then, within a decade (1990-2000) 100
crore was spent, 60 crore by IFAD and 40 core by TDA for the
development. But most of the money went to the pockets of
leaders, bureaucrats, contractors, traders etc. IFAD, as part of
its development activity started planting eucalyptus and J. K.
Paper Mill got cheap raw material. Hybrid seeds, chemical
fertilisers and pesticides were distributed for agricultural
development. Pucca road from Tikri to Kashipur via Maikanch was
constructed. This was done keeping in view the coming of UAIL.
To sum up, all these so called development projects no way
helped us dalits and tribals. Again in the year 2001, starvation
death was reported. All political parties found solution in the
industrial projects. But we see our development in:

(a)	Agricultural development not in big industrial projects. 
Many a perennial streams flows in our area. By building small
check dams on them irrigation facility can be provided to the
available plain land. Thus we can have two crops in a year. This
will help lessen the dependence on shifting cultivation and more
area will be available for regeneration of forest.

(b)	Easy access to medical facilities. There is hardly any
medical facility available in our area. The medicine being
distributed by ANM and Anganwadi workers are not working.
Allopathic medicines are too costly purchase. So we want a
medical facility which will be easily accessible to us. For
example, if medical facility can be developed taking the locally
available resources and knowledge, we can have easy excess.

(c)	 Access to education. The spread of modern education is
almost marginal in our area. But the education being imparted in
schools is not giving importance to our cultural values. We want
an education system in harmony with our culture, tradition and
history.

We demand:

(a)	Cancellation of treaties signed with various companies.
(b)	Irrigation facility through small check dams
(c)	To develop medical facility keeping in the easy
accessibility of local people
(d)	To develop education in harmony with our life pattern,
cultural values and tradition
(e)	To scrap all the big projects in tribal-dalit dominated area
and to rehabilitate all the tribal and dalit displaced earlier.

We conclude:

We, through our organisation, are also trying to improve
educational, medical and irrigation facility in our locality. We
are also building solidarity with all struggling people to
strengthen our resistance.


FOR ALL CORRESPONDENCE

	BHAGABAN MAJHI
CONVENOR
PRAKRUTIK SAMPAD SURAKSHYA PARISHAD
KUCHEIPADAR
KASHIPUR
RAYAGADA, ORISSA, INDIA  
PIN – 765015
PHONE – 06856-224012 (PP)
E mail : pssp_kashipur-AT-yahoo.co.in


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