Odisha: Medha Patkar, 6 barred from entering Rayagada villages ahead of CM’s visit

Members of two organisations — Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti and Maa Mati Mali Suraksha Manch — have also been barred from entering

Published on: Aug 9, 2025, 11:29:54 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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Bhubaneswar: Environment activist Medha Patkar and six others have been barred from entering five villages in Odisha’s Rayagada district till Sunday afternoon.

This comes two months after Patkar and over 20 others were detained by the Rayagada administration. (HT File Photo)

Rayagada district collector Ashutosh Kulkarni said Patkar and six others, including activist Prafulla Samantra, are prohibited from entering, assembling, addressing any gathering, or participating in any public or quasi-public activity within the jurisdiction of Sunger, Adajore, Sindoor Ghati, Talajhiri, and Kashipur Gram Panchayats in the district from the afternoon of August 8 to the afternoon of August 10, under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.

Members of two organisations — Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti and Maa Mati Mali Suraksha Manch — have also been barred from entering the area during this period.

The district administration’s order came a day ahead of chief minister Mohan Majhi’s visit on Saturday to observe World Indigenous Day and distribute funds to women beneficiaries of the Subhadra Yojana.

“During the period, all forms of padayatras, public meetings, press briefings, socio-political gatherings, or protest assemblies in the said areas by the individuals or their known affiliates shall remain strictly prohibited. The Superintendent of Police is directed to ensure strict compliance with this order and to take necessary preventive and coercive action, including enhanced deployment, round-the-clock surveillance, and, if warranted, detention of violators to pre-empt any breach of peace,” a prohibitory order issued by the district administration said.

Also Read: Odisha: Medha Patkar, IRS officer detained over planned protest against bauxite mining

This comes two months after Patkar and over 20 others were detained by the Rayagada administration shortly after she arrived on June 5 to participate in a public meeting protesting the proposed bauxite mining by Vedanta Limited.

In March 2023, the Odisha government issued a 50-year mining lease for a proposed bauxite mining project in the Sijimali hills, with bauxite mines extending over an area of 1,549 hectares. After facing setbacks in its attempt to mine the Niyamgiri hills, Vedanta’s interest shifted to Sijimali as part of its strategy to secure bauxite. The Sijimali mines have an estimated bauxite reserve of 311 million tonnes and are likely to displace 100 families from 18 villages in two districts.

Vedanta has applied for the mandatory environmental clearance under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and forest clearance under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. In October 2023, two public hearings in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts for environmental clearance ended amid widespread protests.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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