Govt hopes to gain brownie points on Niyamgiri

NEW DELHI: The home ministry, which is laying lot of political premium on the environment ministry’s decision against Vedanta’s bauxite mining plans in Orissa, is hoping that it would help it build bridges with the disenchanted tribals. “This will help the agitation to die down. To that extent, it is a positive development,” a senior home ministry official said in response to the environment ministry’s decision.

The tribals in the areas around Niyamgiri and Lanjigarh have been agitating against mining contracts awarded to Vedanta. Maoists have been exploiting the tribal resentment and this has been helping their outfit to spread its influence. “We hope that Maoists will be convinced that government is sympathetic to their concerns of land acquisition,” said the official.

With land acquisition becoming a major source of conflict, the Maoists have been finding it easy to tap disaffection of tribals against the government. The tardy implementation of Forests Rights Act was also being used by the Maoists to mobilise tribals against the government.

Sensing serious trouble in the tribal areas, the government has reconstituted the Cabinet Committee on Tribal Affairs. Two cells — one under the home secretary and the other under secretary, Planning Commission — have also been scripting schemes for the welfare of tribals.

The government has also directed these cells to work out plans to ensure that compensation from companies violating environment rules reach the tribals directly. Sources said the government will roll out the scheme when it settles the Posco controversy. “The government is against transferring enviormental damages fund to be parked with a special purpose vehicle. It should be given directly to the affected people,” said a government official.