The Business Bytes
THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, JANUARY 8, 2025
In a growing wave of public demand, residents of Lanjigarh and surrounding areas in Kalahandi district have appealed to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi for immediate intervention in securing permanent bauxite mines for Vedanta’s alumina refinery. This request, part of a larger movement for socio-economic development in the tribal-dominated region, has gained substantial momentum as local organizations rally for action.
A mass procession was held, with over 4,000 participants, including members of Lanjigarh Workers’ Association, Lanjigarh Merchants’ Association, Lanjigarh Drivers’ Association, and other political and social groups from Kalahandi and Rayagada districts. The rally, led by prominent local figures such as Sridhar Pesnia, ex-MLA Sibaji Majhi, MD Ayub, Rajendra Pratap Singh Deo, Himadri Pesnia, Lingaraj Majhi and several others, commenced at the Horticulture Office in Biswanathpur and culminated at the Lanjigarh Block Office.
The group submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister via the Kalahandi District Magistrate and Block Development Officer, urging the state to allocate a permanent source of bauxite for Vedanta’s existing refinery. The refinery, which has been operational since 2003, has faced severe operational challenges due to the lack of a dedicated, allocated bauxite mine, leading to financial losses and negatively impacting local livelihoods.
The petition underscores the significance of the alumina refinery, highlighting that it represents the first major industrial venture in Kalahandi, a historically backward region with high levels of poverty. It also notes that the district is home to vulnerable tribal communities such as the Dongria and Kutia Kondhs, and is part of the Government of India’s Aspirational Districts Program.
The memorandum points out a glaring disparity — while neighbouring districts like Rayagada and Koraput have secured permanent bauxite allocations for plants yet to commence, Kalahandi’s Vedanta refinery has operated for two decades without such a guarantee. Despite the lack of an allocated bauxite source, the refinery continues to supply alumina to the nation, but at a loss, threatening both the plant’s sustainability and the broader economic health of the region.
The locals, frustrated by what they describe as a “step-motherly” treatment from the authorities, have set forth 16 key demands to bolster their case. They are calling for urgent action to allocate bauxite mines at Lanjigarh, which they believe will secure both the future of the refinery and the livelihoods of thousands of local people, while fuelling the overall development of the district.
