Status of Adivasis/Indigenous Peoples Mining Series- 5: Odisha

Description

Odiahs, with almost a quarter of its population being Adivasis and about half of its geographical area covered by forests where large sections of Adivasis inhabit, is also a mineral rich state in the country. Over the past two decades, the State has been witnessing to unbridled plunder of its rich natural resouces in the quest of mining led growth. This has also increasingly converted the tribal areas into a coflict zones with many loss of lives. The mining lobby has been able to entrench itself strongly in the State and is able to manipulate the State for its interests. The repressive State in aid of the mining interests is all too evident. The devastation it has caused to the rich forests, rivers, lands and lives is all to evident.

Himansu Sekhar Patra is a Programme Officer with Vasundhara, a research-action non-government organisation in Odisha.