
Cancel bauxite lease, urges environmentalist
The Hindu
‘Company mining illegally in Odisha’
Prafulla Samantra, Goldman Environmental prize awardee, urged the Odisha government to cancel mining rights awarded to the Hindalco Industries Limited to excavate bauxite from the Maliparvat deposit in the Koraput district.
“Maliparvat is home to 36 perennial streams which flow into the Kolab river. Besides, thousands of tribals grow vegetable crops which is irrigated by the water flowing down from Maliparvat,” said Mr. Samantra.
He said villagers had been protecting the forests around the Maliparvat for the past five decades.

Former CM B.S. Yediyurappa had challenged the first information report registered on March 14, 2024, on the alleged incident that occurred on February 2, 2024, the chargesheet filed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and the February 28, 2025, order of taking cognisance of offences afresh by the trial court.