Local Employees, Affected Community Come Forward for Vedanta

Subsequent to the notice sent by Vedanta Aluminium Limited to Odisha Government seeking temporary closure of its Lanjigarh refinery from 5^th December 2012, people from Lanjigarh and nearby areas have come forward to support the Company in demanding immediate allocation of bauxite.

Hundreds of local employees, project affected people and displaced persons staged a peaceful demonstration in front of the office of District Collector and District Magistrate of Kalahandi in Odisha. They were demanding that government should ensure steady supply of bauxite to Vedanta’s Lanjigarh refinery so that the livelihood of thousands of people who depend on it will not get jeopardised. A memorandum to this effect was handed over to the District Collector.

According to the affected people, the alumina refinery is on the verge of closure which will hamper employment and livelihood of a larger community in Kalahandi and Rayagada district. “Many local graduates are employed at the refinery of Vedanta directly and indirectly. However, if bauxite from Odisha is not provided to the refinery, it may be forced to close down which will wipe out hopes and dreams of many students who aspire to get employment at the only industry in the district,” said Parimita Behera a localite of Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district of Odisha.

People at the rehabilitation colony viz. Niyamgiri Vedanta Nagar are also concerned after the closure (temporary) notice was sent. “We are rehabilitated, provided with jobs, our children get quality education at English medium school. And, at this juncture if Odisha bauxite is not provided to VAL, it will be closed down after which our life will again take a back step of 10 years,” said Hari Majhi of Lanjigarh.

Vedanta Science College to start at Lanjigarh

Vedanta is going to open a science college at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi to spread higher education among tribals. The Vedanta Science College will commence classes from the academic year 2011-12.

The company has identified five acres of land at Lanjigarh for the purpose. The architectural design of the college has been completed and construction activity will begin soon. The bhoomi puja for construction of the building was performed last month.

“The science college will fill the gap of quality science education in western Odisha. Besides education, it will also improve the human development index and leadership quality among youth,” said Prof Gopabandhu Behera, retired Professor of Chemistry of the Sambalpur University.

Most towns in interior western Odisha mostly have arts and commerce colleges, where job opportunities for students passing out are limited. The proposed college is expected to address the need for quality science education in the district of Kalahandi and will make the youth qualified enough to get ample job opportunities.

The first batch of students will be admitted on merit basis, with preference to local students. In the first batch, the college will enroll 64 students. “Vedanta Science College will integrate teaching, learning, and research for a holistic development of the students,” said President and Chief Operating Officer of Vedanta Aluminium Ltd, Lanjigarh Dr Mukesh Kumar.

The college will impart graduate level studies in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Zoology, Botany and Environment Science. The college will be managed by the DAV College Trust and Management Society, which is a premier education society and has already set up more than 100 colleges across the country. With the latest infrastructure, the college will provide facilities for sports, games and cultural facilities.

In Lanjigarh, the DAV College Trust and Management Society has set up an international school jointly with VAL which is giving access to quality English medium education to tribal students from Lanjigarh and around.

India Journal: Why Vedanta Lost and Posco Looks Like a Winner

Two large industrial projects, one poor state, two likely different outcomes — and a long-haired, flamboyant environment minister-turned-crusader starring in both. No, this is not your latest blockbuster but it has the makings of one.
Rewind to August in the same state, Orissa. U.K.-based Vedanta’s $1.7 billion project to mine bauxite in the Niyamgiri Hills was rejected by a panel of the same environment ministry on the grounds that the livelihoods of tribals living in the area and biodiversity would have been destroyed.
The environment minister, Jairam Ramesh, has been criticized by various commentators for blocking projects in non-Congress ruled states and supporting projects in those ruled by the Congress. Be that as it may, in this case we are looking at two projects in Orissa, so the criticism is moot.
So what’s going on? First, we must note that Posco still hasn’t been completely cleared. It will take yet another decision by Mr. Ramesh, expected by the end of this month, for the full green light.
But let’s say Mr. Ramesh, who’s both an engineer and economist by training, did a cost-benefit analysis of the two projects. What would be on each side of the ledger for both?
First, there’s the difference in order of magnitude, a $12 billion versus $1.7 billion investment — presumably, much more economic benefit is riding on the larger than the smaller project. Further, a “no” to Vedanta perhaps wasn’t too damaging for the foreign investment climate but a “no” to Posco would surely have a chilling effect on future foreign investment and large-scale development projects.
Second, backing or lack of it by the respective home governments could have played a crucial role.

Quality Education is must for growth: Dr. Mukesh Kumar

The awareness about need of education for growth and in fighting poverty, eradicating deceases like Malaria, Sickle Cell Anemia etc is continuously on the rise in tribal belts of Kalahandi and Rayagada district. People are looking for development to live a better life which is getting reflected with the considerable improvement in attendance and reduction in drop out cases in almost all the schools.
Showing commitment for development in Kalahandi and Rayagada region, Dr. Mukesh Kumar, President and COO, Vedanta Aluminium Limited, Lanjigarh – while inaugurating the new school building of Saraswati Sishu Vidya Mandir at Ambodala, Rayagada – reiterated that Vedanta is concerned about improving standard of education and health care for the overall development of the region. He further stressed that, now under right to education also it is very much essential that every child must go to the school.
“Unless every child goes to school, Vedanta’s aim of improving educational standard is not fulfilled. To ensure every child get at least pre-school education and to give the children nutritious food Vedanta is supporting nearly 1000 Aganwadi Centres in association with GOO besides running nearly 45 Child Care Centres which aims for 100% enrollment in the Primary School,” said Dr. Mukesh Kumar in the sidelines of the inaugural function of the Additional Classrooms of Saraswati Sishu Vidya Mandir at Ambodala on January 2, 2011.
VAL constructed the classroom under its Corporate Social responsibility of the project ‘Shiksha’ which aims to ensure that each child enjoys his/her right. He also promised to bring the school under Computer Literacy Programme of VAL.
Further showing importance of the need of higher education in the area, he said, “Students of this area now can study science at degree level as Vedanta has opened a Degree level Science College at Lanjigarh which will begin its academic session from 2011 and will enroll students from Lanjigarh, Biswanathpur, Ambodala, Munigura where students give up studies after 10th or +2 due to the unavailability of any good college.”
Education being an important tool in building future, Vedanta has been trying to improve the education sector in Kalahandi and Rayagada district. A Degree Science College, +2 Science College and a DAV Vedanta International School at Lanjigarh are few of the initiatives Vedanta has taken to enhance the educational standard of the region.

MoEF’s double standards?

Strange are the ways of government! The Union Ministry of Environment and Forest which withdrew environmental clearance for Vedanta has now given the go-ahead for a commercial space in the Durgapur Reserve Forest.
Located prominently along the highway, Durgapur reserve has long been falling prey to illegal encroachment with a local business house driving the last nail in the green canopy's coffin by engaging heavy earth moving equipment to carve out space for a commercial complex at the cost of the hill.
It is learnt that the proposal for de-reservation of the contentious area was approved by the Centre on the recommendation of the State Government.
Protesting the chopping of the greenery at Vedvyas along the State Highway 10, hundreds of tribal people, mostly women, took to the streets to save the natural assets.
The tribals under the banner of Jal, Jungle, Jamin Suraksha Committee on Wednesday took out a rally from Saw Mill area to Vedvyas square where a meeting was held. They closed all shops and vowed to save the hill from encroachers at all costs and demanded measures to restore the massive green canopy, that the hills once possessed.
Panposh Divisional Forest Officer Atish Behera confirmed that the forest de-reservation proposal of the said business house was approved by the Centre and they have little say on the issue.