Environmental and tribal rights activists have alleged that the diversion of forest land in Nageswari hills and the subsequent environmental clearance granted to the Adani Group for bauxite mining is “illegal and unconstitutional.”

At a press conference in Koraput on 29th September , Prafulla Samantara, President of Lok Shakti Abhiyan, senior advocate Gupteswar Panigrahi, and anti-mining leaders Ajaya Miduli and Laxmi Sisa said the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) had bypassed the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006 and ignored the overwhelming opposition of locals.

According to the leaders, despite 99% of villagers opposing the project during the mandatory public hearing and submitting objection memorandums, the environmental clearance report made no mention of their dissent. They further alleged that the MoEFCC diverted forest land under the amended Forest Conservation Act (2023) to avoid Gram Sabha consultations, which they said violates FRA provisions.

“The FRA, PESA and the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution clearly mandate recognition of individual and community forest rights before any diversion of land. Here, the process has been completely ignored,” said Samantara, citing the Supreme Court’s historic Niyamgiri judgment that upheld Gram Sabha consent as paramount.

The activists warned that mining would destroy local streams, biodiversity, and the sacred Nageswari cave temple, impacting cultural rights and threatening Jalaput lake. “This is not development, but destruction of tribal life and livelihood,” said Laxmi Sisa, a tribal woman leader and member of the Nageswari Mountain Protection Committee.

They accused both the state and central governments of favouring mining at the cost of tribal communities. Samantara urged opposition parties to raise the issue in Parliament and the State Assembly.

The leaders also referred to the 2024 CAG report that flagged several mining leases, including those granted without Gram Sabha approval, as illegal. They demanded immediate withdrawal of the lease and cancellation of the environmental clearance.