Close to 10,000 tribals are protesting in scorching heat against an iron ore mine on a hill allotted to NMDC in Bailadila area of the Moaist affected Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh. The tribals claim the hill is their deity.
The National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) owns the mine and has allocated it to Adani Enterprises for operation.?
Both the organisations claimed that the mining operations were commencing after taking all clearances, including consent of the respective gram sabhas.
The protests entered fifth day today, with tribals demanding to stop the mining operations.
Representational Image/PTI
Tribals claim that if mining is allowed on this hill, locals will bear the brunt. They say the hill is revered as the shrine of Pitod Devi, wife of nature god Nandraj, and their faith is associated with it.
The protesters, wielding bow and arrows, want the authorities concerned to abandon plans to mine the iron ore deposit no. 13.
Locals said as per the mining plan, more than 25,000 trees will be cut in the area. So far, 10,000 threes have been chopped off.?
Bailadila is a rerun of Niyamgiri hills in 2013, when tribals had protested to prevent mining saying the hill is their deity. More than 15,000 Kondh tribes reside in Niyamgiri hills in over 160 villages spread across the area.