TNN May 28, 2013, 12.17AM IST

KORAPUT: With the Supreme Court leaving it to villagers to decide the fate of Vedanta‘s mining plan at Niyamgiri hills at gram sabhas, the anti-mining campaign at villages situated in and around Niyamgiri hills has gained momentum.

Hundreds of tribals, including Dongria Kondhs, assembled at Rayagada‘s Parsali village on Sunday and vowed not to allow an inch of Niyamgiri for bauxite mining.

“Niyamgiri is a source of livelihood for thousands of tribals of around 120 villages of Rayagada and Kalahandi districts. Once mining starts, the tribals will lose their livelihood and scores of perennial sources of water will dry up. We will fight tooth and nail against mining at Niyamgiri,” said sarpanch of Parsali Butu Khora.

According to the apex court’s April 18 order, the gram sabhas will also examine the cultural and religious claims of Dongria Kondhs over the hills.

The tribals, who had assembled under the banner CPI (ML), also decided to organize similar anti-mining meetings at all panchayats, which will be affected by the mining, and urge villagers to participate in large number at gram sabhas to oppose mining at Niyamgiri hills