Description
The Niyamgiri Hills, spread across Odisha’s Kalahandi and Rayagada districts, are a biodiversity-rich landscape and the ancestral home of the Dongria Kondh tribal community. For the community, Niyamgiri is much more than a mountain range. It is closely connected to their livelihoods, culture, traditions, identity and religious beliefs.
For years, the Dongria Kondh community has opposed proposed bauxite mining in the hills, expressing concerns about its potential impact on forests, biodiversity, water resources and their traditional way of life.
In 2013, following a landmark Supreme Court order, 12 Gram Sabhas were held to consider the community’s rights and religious and cultural concerns. All 12 Gram Sabhas rejected the proposed mining project, and the proposal did not receive approval.
Yet questions about mining activities and the future of Niyamgiri continue to remain in public discussion.
This documentary explores more than a mining dispute. It is a story about community rights, environmental protection, indigenous identity and the role of Gram Sabhas in safeguarding the future of tribal communities.
Watch this story to understand why the Dongria Kondh continue to stand up for Niyamgiri.
#Niyamgiri #DongriaKondh #Odisha #Kalahandi #Rayagada #TribalRights #IndigenousRights #GramSabha #ForestRights #EnvironmentalProtection #Biodiversity #BauxiteMining #CommunityRights #TribalCulture #AdivasiVoices #NiyamgiriMovement #GroundReport
This story is Satya Banchhor, a Community, Content Creator from Bolangir , Odisha.
This story is filmed and edited by the community content creator. We bring you unfiltered stories from the deepest, most media-dark areas.
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