The ‘Save Vedanta Movement’ gained momentum with around 30 representatives of local employees and community meeting the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today. The delegation met the CM and gave him a memorandum and appealed for regular supply bauxite from Odisha to the alumina refinery of Vedanta Aluminium Limited at Lanjigarh so that the company doesn’t close down.
The Chief Minister was kind enough to meet all members of the delegation. He gave assurance and said, “I will follow it up and take the matter forward in consultation with the Chief Secretary. All necessary steps will be taken.” A day earlier, the delegation gave a memorandum to the Chief Secretary, Minister of Mines and Minister of Labour and Employment. The Chief Secretary ensured that he is concerned and will take steps to sort out the issue for the wellbeing of the people.
The local community said the company has already sent a temporary closure notice to the Govt. of Odisha due to lack of raw material (bauxite) and at this juncture, if regular bauxite will not be supplied to the refinery thousands of people will be impacted. “In spite of having large quantities of Bauxite in the state, if Vedanta Alumina Refinery closes down, Kalahandi will again become poverty-affected,” the memorandum said.
“I am from Lanjigarh of Kalahandi and I know if the company will close down, life of more than 20,000 people will be affected. We want that govt. should take immediate measures for supply of Odisha Bauxite to the company so that we and our region will prosper,” said Srikant Bohidar of Lanjigarh.
