Elephants demand that Vedanta halt habitat destruction
A herd of elephants took a stand against mining giant Vedanta Resources outside their annual AGM on 27th July 2011, highlighting the devastating impact that the company’s activities pose for the endangered species and their habitat.
We are calling on Vedanta to abandon its controversial plans to develop a bauxite mine on sacred tribal land in India, the Niyamgiri Hills. As well as devastating the lives of the local Dongria Kondh tribe, the mining activities will sever a lifeline for India’s National Heritage animal, cutting off a key elephant migratory corridor and further pushing the endangered species towards extinction.
The Niyamgiri Hills has been recognised as part of the proposed South Orissa Elephant Reserve (SOER), a vital network of forest habitat that could help secure a future for Orissa’s remaining elephants. Conversely, because of companies like Vedanta that wish to exploit the minerals in the landscapes the SOER is still yet to be declared and the elephants remain vulnerable. The landscape is also home to some of the world’s most endangered species: tigers, leopards, pangolins and sloth bears, to name just a few.
Elephant Family’s partner organisation, the Wildlife Society or Orissa (WSO), have time and time again demanded that Vedanta abandon its disastrous plans for mining bauxite in the Niyamgiri Hills, since their proposed actions would destroy one of the most ecologically and biologically diverse habitats in the state, sparking a rise in fatal human-elephant conflict. Yet, Vedanta is currently in the Supreme Court, still shamefully trying to overturn a ban on the mine.
Biswajit Mohanty from WSO states that he ‘we will do everything possible to stop Vedanta, a demon out to devour wildlife and tribals in our state’ and we will stand side by side with WSO until the Niyamgiri Hills are far beyond Vedanta’s grasp.
