If the Mountain Goes, We Go: The Indigenous Resistance to Sijimali Mining

A Mountain at the Center of a Growing Conflict

Vedanta Ltd., a leading global producer of metals and critical minerals, has proposed the Sijimali Bauxite Mining Project, a 1,549-hectare open-cast mining project spanning the Rayagada and Kalahandi districts of Odisha.

Sijimali is a remote and beautiful mountain region nestled in the Eastern Ghats. It is not merely a hill range but also the lifeline of several indigenous communities who have lived in its foothills for generations.

Vedanta operates a 2 MTPA-capacity alumina refinery in Lanjigarh, Kalahandi, since 2007, along with an associated 75 MW captive power plant.

The proposed mining project covers 18 villages across the Thuamul Rampur tehsil of Kalahandi and the Kasipur tehsil of Rayagada. While the official mining block limits cover these core villages, local indigenous communities and tribal rights groups state that the project could affect more than 50 villages located in the foothills.

Project Approvals and Rising Opposition

In February 2023, Vedanta Ltd. was declared the preferred bidder for this bauxite block in the Odisha mineral-block auction process.

In August 2023, the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) approved the mining plan. In September 2023, the State Pollution Control Board, Odisha, issued a public notice for environmental assessment and public hearings.

In December 2023, state authorities claimed that Gram Sabha (village council) consent was unanimously granted. However, local tribal groups later challenged this claim, alleging fraudulent signatures and coerced public hearings.

In December 2025, the Forest Advisory Committee granted Stage-I approval to divert forest land for the main mining project. Subsequently, in May 2026, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change granted Stage-II (final) approval under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, for the non-forestry use of 4.911 hectares of forest land in favour of constructing a critical forest access road connected to State Highway 44 for the transportation of bauxite.

On May 31, 2026, the Odisha Government approved the road construction and facilitated land acquisition, leading to immediate public tension and legal review.

The Road That Sparked Resistance

According to local residents, the immediate trigger for the recent protests was the proposed construction of a 3-kilometre road near Sagabari village. Once completed, the road would connect State Highway 44 to the Sijimali hilltop, paving the way for mining operations.

The intense protests from tribal communities and the deployment of police forces demonstrate that the project currently lacks social acceptability among a significant section of the local population.

“If the Mountain Goes, We Go”

Majhi, a local resident, says:

"From this mountain we get everything—rice, vegetables, sunflower oil. Except for salt, we buy nothing from outside."

He further claims that the communities living here—predominantly Kondh and other Adivasi groups, along with Dalit communities—call the mountain Tijimali, the home of their deity, Tijaraja. According to him, the government refers to it as Sijimali, but for the local people it is much more than a geographical feature.

Environmental Concerns Beyond the Mining Site

Environmental concerns form a major part of the opposition.

The thick layer of bauxite on top of these hills acts like a natural sponge. It absorbs rainwater and releases it gradually throughout the year, feeding springs and streams below. Critics argue that open-cast mining removes this entire layer, potentially disrupting the natural water system.

According to environmental activists and local communities, the damage would not remain confined to the mining site but could affect entire downstream river systems.

A frequently cited example is the Panchpatmali bauxite plateau in the Eastern Ghats, where mining activities are already underway. Critics claim that several streams in the region have dried up following mining operations, although the extent and causes of these changes remain subjects of ongoing debate.

Can Ecological Restoration Truly Restore Nature?

Vedanta Ltd. has proposed an investment of ₹1,200 crore over 25 years in the Sijimali periphery. According to the company, the plan will fund socio-economic programmes such as healthcare, education, infrastructure development and community welfare.

The company has also stated in documents submitted to regulatory authorities, including the Indian Bureau of Mines, that the mined land will undergo progressive backfilling, re-layering of topsoil and ecological restoration once the bauxite reserves are exhausted.

However, independent studies, environmental experts and local communities express severe scepticism regarding these claims. They argue that technical backfilling may stabilise the terrain but cannot truly regenerate the complex, multilayered biodiversity, perennial springs and sacred groves associated with the Tijaraja landscape.

For many local residents, the concern is not merely about land restoration but about the irreversible loss of an ecosystem that has evolved over centuries.

Development at What Cost?

Economic growth, industrial development and resource extraction are often presented as essential components of national progress. Yet many economists, ethicists and policymakers argue that growth and profit should not come at the cost of society and the environment.

If a project displaces indigenous tribal communities, pushes vulnerable populations into poverty, undermines cultural heritage and devastates complex biodiversity, critics contend that its economic benefits alone cannot justify its consequences.

The debate surrounding Sijimali therefore raises a broader question: Should development be measured only by investment and industrial output, or also by its ability to protect indigenous rights, ecological balance and the communities that depend upon them?

As the conflict continues, the future of Sijimali remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that for thousands of people living in its shadow, the mountain is not merely a mineral deposit—it is a source of identity, culture, livelihood and survival.

 

Author can be reached at echoalpha.ea@proton.me