Odisha bauxite mining: Activists demand cancellation of leases, halt to auctions

Environmental and human rights activists have urged the Odisha government to cancel all existing bauxite mining leases and withdraw auction notifications for new mines, warning that current mining activity is destroying ecologically sensitive hill ranges in the Eastern Ghats.

At a press conference on Tuesday, activists alleged that the state's bauxite production far exceeds the country's requirements, leading to the depletion of mineral resources and the degradation of sustainable water sources. The conference was addressed by Goldman Environmental Prize winner Prafulla Samantara, human rights activist Narendra Mohanty, and activist Biswajit Ray.

Mr. Samantara described bauxite deposits as a "precious gift of nature" that act as natural "water sponges." He explained that bauxite ore absorbs rainwater, stores it underground, and releases it gradually through natural springs after the rains, feeding perennial streams and rivers. He noted that such regions across the globe are considered vital for water conservation.

More than 55% of the country's bauxite deposits are concentrated in five southwestern districts of Odisha — Bargarh, Balangir, Kalahandi, Rayagada and Koraput. These reserves are spread across hill ranges including Gandhamardan, Niyamgiri, Karlapat, Khandualamali, Manjiamali, Sijimali, Kuturumali, Sasu-Bohumali, Baphlimali, Kodingamali, Nageswari Hill, Panchapatamali, Pottangi Hill, Karnakonda, Serubandha and Deomali.

Mr. Samantara said mining operations are currently underway at Panchapatamali, Baphlimali and Kodingamali under leases granted to the Central public sector undertaking National Aluminium Company (NALCO), the state-run Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) and the Aditya Birla Group. He alleged that the drying up of water sources, pollution of rivers and streams, and destruction of forests are adversely affecting millet cultivation and agriculture in the region.

Mr. Mohanty said producing bauxite far beyond the country's requirements, depleting Odisha's resources, and destroying the highly sensitive Eastern Ghats amounts to an injustice to future generations. "Uprooting the livelihoods of lakhs of people and depriving them of their right to survive is deeply unjust and unconstitutional," he said.

He also pointed to leases already granted in mountain ranges in Koraput district, including Serubandha, Nageswari Hill, Karnakonda, Sijimali and Kuturumali. The auction process for the ecologically sensitive forests of Karlapat has been completed, and notifications have been issued for the auction of three mountains near Tikiri in Kashipur's Sasu-Bohumali area. Leases have been granted to the Adani Group and Vedanta Group, Mr. Mohanty added.

"Now, under the guise of creating an alumina hub, groups such as Adani and Vedanta are influencing the state government and competing to acquire mines. As a result, water sources in the Kashipur and Thuamul Rampur regions and Koraput district — including the Kolab, Saberi, Jhanjavati, Nagavali, Hati and Tel rivers and numerous tributaries — will dry up and become polluted," he alleged.

Activists said around 50 waterfalls in the Sijimali, Kuturumali and Jalaput reservoir areas, 18 waterfalls in Karlapat, and 36 perennial streams on Mali Hill could disappear if mining activities continue. They warned this would deprive thousands of families of forest produce, millet and agricultural resources, potentially triggering a severe food crisis and accelerating climate change.

Mr. Ray said the mining leases granted so far have violated the Forest Rights Act, the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA), and the Odisha Scheduled Areas Transfer of Immovable Property (By Scheduled Tribes) Regulation, 1956, effectively stripping Gram Sabhas of their rights. He added that tribal communities continue to mobilise against what he described as the "exploitation" of bauxite deposits.

The activists called on the government to take immediate action to protect the region's ecology and the rights of tribal communities, stressing that the current approach poses a threat to both environmental sustainability and constitutional safeguards.