Saturday, August 10, 2013

Indian villagers defeat British billionaire over plans to mine sacred mountain in Orissa...

A primitive Indian tribe which worships its remote jungle mountain as a living god has inflicted a humiliating defeat on one of Britain's wealthiest billionaires over his plans to open a vast aluminium ore mine on their land.

Anil Agarwal, who rose from humble beginnings as a scrap metal dealer in one of India's poorest states to a life of luxury in London's Mayfair, had planned to boost his fortune by mining and processing bauxite in Niyamgiri, Orissa, south East India.

He promised to bring new jobs, build schools and hospitals to bring the hill's 'backward' Dongria Kondh tribesmen into the modern world.

His plan however, which was agreed with the Orissa state government as far back as 2005, infuriated the Dongria who saw the proposal as an attack not only on their way of life but also on 'Niyamraja', the sacred hill they worshipped as their provider.

 They launched a protest movement to save their verdant tropical forest paradise populated by tigers, leopards and elephants from Mr Agarwal's plans to replace its mango and sal trees with mine shafts and busy roads. More + pictures...

Related posts:
  1. Story of a sacred mountain in India:the Dongria Kondh fight Vedanta...
  2. Harassment and delaying tactics increasing after Orissa Mining court decision...
  3. Vedanta £1billion mine plan knocked back by India...
  4. India stops Vedanta plans to mine bauxite in Orissa...
  5. India's Dongria Kondh tell Vedanta 'we won't leave our land'
  6. How poor and courageous Indians are fighting back...
  7. Police in India kidnap Arun Ferreira, activist for Dalits and tribals...
  8. India "up for sale" to western corporate capital...

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