On May 22, 2018, Tamil Nadu police opened fire on thousands of people demonstrating against the expansion of Sterlite’s copper smelter plant in Thoothukudi. The residents were protesting against the Vedanta owned unit accusing it of causing severe environmental pollution in the entire region. One year after the violent incident in which 18 persons were shot dead and scores […]
GroundXero: Two persons were reportedly killed and over 30 injured at Vedanta Alumina refinery in Lanjigarh town of Kalahandi district in Orissa. According to reports, hundreds of displaced people from Rengalpali and two other nearby villages were holding a protest in front of the refinery demanding jobs in the unit. Violence erupted when the […]
A report by Rajat Thakur. Left organisations, human rights activists, and environmentalists organised a press conference urging the Tamil Nadu government to ensure the safe return of environmental activist S. Mugilan, who went ‘missing’ on 15th February. Mugilan allegedly went missing after a press conference where he accused the police of orchestrating violence in Thoothukudi during […]
The Forest Rights Act was enacted in 2006 by the first UPA Government. MoEF Jairam Ramesh, after lengthy bargainings and consultations with rights groups and NGOs, agreed to pass the bill, mostly out of electoral compulsions and as a means to check the rise of radical left forces among Adivasis. Corporations with direct business interests […]
On 27 September 2018, Foil Vedanta and a coalition of organisations in London released a report entitled ‘Vedanta’s Billions- Regulatory failure, environment and human rights’ – days before Vedanta Resources’ AGM and de-listing from the London Stock Exchange. The 32 page report gives a comprehensive account of legal judgments against Vedanta across its global operations, and blames […]
“Our politics threatens the police and the rulers, which is why they are attacking us” – C. Raju, state coordinator of Makkal Athikaram The Thoothukudi police have continued to hound the people who participated in the anti-Sterlite protests, even as they stand accused of murdering unarmed protesters. In a transparent effort to deflect culpability they […]
Amidst widening state repression of the struggle in Thoothukudi, Advocate Vanchi Nathan, State Coordinator of People’s Right Protection Centre who also served as the legal advisor to the Committee for the Struggle against Sterlite has been arrested, as have six members of Makkal Athikaram who have been booked under the authoritarian National Security Act. Lois […]
সস্তা শ্রম এবং বেলাগাম দূষণ। বিশ্বায়নী উদারনীতির ‘উন্নয়ন’-এর এটাই ছিল প্যাকেজ ডিল। ‘উন্নয়ন’-এর চমকানিতে ভারত, বাংলাদেশ, আফ্রিকা, লাতিন আমেরিকার মতো বিভিন্ন দেশে অরণ্যের-পর-অরণ্য হাওয়ায় মিলিয়ে গেছে, খনিজ সম্পদে ভরা পাহাড় বিদেশে পাচার হয়ে গেছে, এক দিকে খরায় যখন ভূ-ভারত হেঁচকি তুলে মরেছে তখন নদীর জলে বহুজাতিক পানীয় কোম্পানি বোতল ধুয়েছে। আর রাস্তায় দাঁড়িয়ে ‘উন্নয়ন’ আমাদের চোখ রাঙিয়ে […]
On Tuesday 29 May, the allotment of land for the proposed expansion of Vedanta group’s copper smelter plant in Thoothukudi was canceled, “in larger public interest” by the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Ltd (SIPCOT). In an official release SIPCOT said, “The cancellation of allotment of 342.22 acres of land has been made in […]
In Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu police shot and killed another person, 22 year old Kaliappan on Wednesday and on Thursday morning another person, Selva Sekaran, succumbed to his injuries, bringing the death toll to at least 13, with more than 60 injured. Lois Sofia writes about the ongoing attacks and clampdown on the protesters. Read our […]
GroundXero: The death toll rises to 18, according to unofficial estimates, including at least one woman, and at least 30 more sustain bullet injuries. The firing happened when the protesters from Thoothukudi went for dharna outside the District Collector’s office. This marked the 100th day of the recent peaceful protests, in Thoothukudi, against Vedanta’s Sterlite […]
Tuticorin’s battle against destruction of environment and humankind by Vedanta Ltd. continues (Find our earlier report on the Anti-Sterlite struggle here). Geethanjali, Lois Sofia Protests against Vedanta’s Sterlite Copper are continuing in Thoothukudi (also called Tuticorin) district in Southern Tamil Nadu. On Saturday, May 5th, thousands participated in a 12-hour hunger strike demanding the […]
Tuticorin rises against destruction of environment and mankind by Vedanta Ltd., in the name of development and economic advancement. Geethanjali, Lois Sofia Protests on March 24, 2018 On a Saturday evening, residents from the coastal city of Thoothukudi (also called Tuticorin) and surrounding villages in the district, came out onto the streets in large numbers protesting […]