The huge bauxite deposits in Niyamgiri have led the Vedanta group to set up an alumina refinery at Lanjigarh, making the tribals apprehensive about their habitat THE TRIBALS of Niyamgiri, a hill range of exotic beauty in Orissa's Kalahandi district, are engaged in a do or die battle with a multinational company to save their habitat. Their movement to save the ecology of the area, which boasts of a bewildering variety of flora and fauna, has received ample support from a newly floated environmental group, Green Kalahandi. The battle began with the Vedanta group setting up a huge alumina refinery at Lanjigarh in the foothills of bauxite-rich Niyamgiri that is teeming with wildlife. The hill with acres of mango, orange, banana, pineapple, lemon and jackfruit growing wild, is criss-crossed by 36 perennial streams. It is also the source of two major rivers: Nagavalli and Vanshdhara. However, the company's operations have made these tribals apprehensive about their future with fears being expressed about acquisition of more land in the area. Their fears grew when sometime ago the tehsildar of Bhawanipatna issued notices asking for acquisition of land in two villages Palbira and Phuldumer-inside the hill area. "The government is trying to acquire this land for the company, though the villages are situated deep inside the hill and far away from the refinery. The tribals suspect that this could be an attempt to acquire land for mining," says Green Kalahandi activist Siddharfha Nayak. The huge bauxite deposits v in Niyamgiri can be a big temptation for any company. Sources say that the company, which had been importing bauxite from Gariya Majhi, a tribal living in the hills, says that if the company obtains mining rights in the hills it would hit their livelihood badly. "The trees will go and so will the perennial streams which are the only source of drinking water for us," he adds. Raghu Pujari, former chairman of Lanjigarh block says, "The villages they are trying to acquire are inside the Niyamgiri hills which is inhabited by around 15,000 Dongria Kandh tribals. It would be curtains for them if the government and the company actually succeed in their design". But the tribals are determined to fight it out. "There is no way we are going to let the government or the company take even an inch of land in the hills. It is our mother and we will save it at any cost," asserts Gata Majhi from Palbir village. The tribals, helped by the activists of Green Kalahandi, have already sent in their objections to the tehsildar who is supposed to give them a hearing. The movement of the tribals to save Niyamgiri and its environment has gained momentum since the visit of Rahul Gandhi to the area a few months ago. Rahul has assured the tribals that he would take up their cause with the President of India. Meanwhile, the tribals are busy organizing meetings and protests and are trying to generate support for their cause. The hills witnessed a huge gathering of tribals from Niyamgiri and its surrounding areas as well as environmental activists from different parts of Orissa.