Environmentalist Prafulla Samantara has objected to the mining of bauxite in Kodingamali hill at Puhundi under Kashipur Tehsil of Rayagada district for which a public hearing has been scheduled for November 25.
In a memorandum to the Member Secretary, State Pollution Control Board, Bhubaneswar, Samantara said the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the mining project of OMC had not been done properly and it ignored many dimensions of ecological existence and hid many facts as it did not study the exact effects of mining on forest, agriculture and water bodies.The EIA report did not take into account the existing perennial streams that originate in Kodingamali and the inevitable impacts of digging for mining through explosive materials on water bodies and nearby villages.
The report says that there is no wildlife sanctuary nearby but there are many wild animals for which there should not be very harmful mining, said Samantara.
He further said already at present, mining of bauxite in Kodingamali for Vedanta company had caused much harm to not only the ecology but also the forest cover as well as agriculture of the local tribals and Dalits.
The proposed extension will spell doom by destroying thousands mature trees and plants along with streams which are primary source of water to local people and their livelihood system, he said. Samantara on the contrary demanded fresh studies on environment impact of the mining by an independent agency and cancellation of the proposed public hearing.