Tribals wreck Sterlite foundation stone
Published by MAC on 2003-06-13
Tribals wreck Sterlite foundation stone
Hindustan Times Correspondent
Sambalpur, June 13 2003
Tribals have destroyed the foundation stone for Sterlite Alumina plant at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district, three days after chief minister Naveen Patnaik laid it.
Niyamgiri Surakshya Samiti, which has been spearheading the movement against the proposed plant and mining operation at Niyamgiri hills for a year, released a press release on Thursday claiming responsibility for the act. No one has been arrested, but police are conducting an inquiry.
People of 12 villages in two panchayat areas face displacement because of the plant that Sterlite India Ltd plans to build and its proposed mining operations. Tribals have been bitterly opposing the Rs 4,500 crore project, which has the blessings of the government and local politicians.
There had been intelligence reports that tribals from Koraput were planning to sabotage the foundation laying ceremony.