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The spectre of mining has returned to the biodiversity-rich Gandhamardan Hills in Odisha, four decades after grassroots resistance forced the government to abandon plans for bauxite extraction. In the 1980s, the state-owned Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (Balco) was compelled to shelve its mining project following sustained protests by local communities.
The recent acquisition of around 112 acres of land in villages surrounding the hills by Mahanadi Mines and Minerals Ltd (MMML), a subsidiary of the Adani Group, has rekindled fears of bauxite mining in the area. Although MMML claimed the purchase is intended for compensatory afforestation, locals suspect ulterior motives.
Spread across 190 square kilometres in Odisha’s Bargarh and Balangir districts, the Gandhamardan Hills are revered as sacred by local communities. The hills are home to the Nrusinghanath and Harishankar temples, popular tourist destinations, as well as dense forests that sustain the livelihoods of thousands.
Aside from bauxite, the hills are thought to contain graphite and manganese reserves as well.
The land acquisition has sparked widespread protests. On November 23, 2024, village residents detained two geologists from the government-run Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Ltd at Temrimal village while they were surveying graphite and manganese deposits in the hills.
On November 25, locals launched an indefinite protest under the banner of the Gandhamardan Yuva Suraksha Parishad (GYSP).
“People from 21 Gram Panchayats are participating in the protest on a rotational basis,” said Rajkumar Seth, a GYSP member.
Bargarh Member of Parliament Pradeep Purohit, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and a prominent figure in the 1980s anti-mining movement, dismissed speculation about Adani’s mining plans as baseless. “I will never allow mining in the Gandhamardan,” he stated.
The Adani Group in a statement has said that the land was purchased from willing sellers with the intention of transferring it to Odisha’s forest department for compensatory afforestation.
Responding to a question from Biju Janata Dal MLA Prasanna Archarya, Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo stated in the Odisha assembly on November 27 that the BJP government would never allow the Gandhamardan hills to be destroyed for bauxite.
According to Singh Deo, the previous Biju Janata Dal granted Adani Group permission to purchase land for compensatory afforestation in Balangir district to compensate for the loss of forest cover caused by the company’s coal mining project in Sundargarh district.
The Adani Group has significantly expanded its presence in Odisha’s ports, infrastructure, and mining sectors in recent years, raising concerns among local communities and environmental activists.
The conglomerate operates Dhamra Port in Bhadrak and Gopalpur Port in Ganjam, holds extraction rights for the Talabira coal blocks in Sambalpur and Jharsuguda, and has acquired the Kutrumali bauxite mines in Rayagada through its subsidiary, Mundra Aluminium Limited.
Despite assurances from the Odisha government and Adani’s claims that recent land purchases in the Gandhamardan hills are for compensatory afforestation, locals remain sceptical.
“Compensatory afforestation plans in a place where there is dense forest are laughable and raise doubts about the real hidden motives,” said Diamand Bhue, a resident of Manbhang village in Bargarh district.
Former Sambalpur MP Bhabani Shankar Hota, a prominent figure in the anti-Balco movement of the 1980s, has also expressed doubts. “If the Adani subsidiary has only purchased private land, why would it need government permission? Or has it acquired government land as well, which is not yet public knowledge?” he questioned, highlighting the precedent set by a private company purchasing land in a forested area for afforestation.
Hota believes the recent land acquisition is a “trial balloon” to gauge resistance before any large-scale mining activities commence. “They may be testing the waters to assess the level of opposition,” he speculated.
The Gandhamardan hills, a biodiversity hotspot, are home to over 1,200 plant species. A Botanical Survey of India report records at least 220 varieties of medicinal plants. The region supports traditional ayurvedic practitioners and houses two ayurvedic colleges and hospitals that serve more than 50,000 people.
Protests against mining in the hills date back to 1983, when Balco began construction work after securing a lease to extract bauxite. The formation of the GYSP in 1985 intensified the resistance, which continued for four years.
The movement garnered support from environmentalists like Sundarlal Bahuguna and academics from across India, ultimately forcing the government to abandon Balco’s project.
"Over 100 Delhi academicians have launched a signature campaign to stop mining in the Gandhamardan. Though the Congress was in power both in the state and Centre, many local Congress leaders openly supported the movement,” said noted farmer leader Lingaraj, who was a anti-Balco activist when he was younger.
The Gandhamardan hills are estimated to hold 104.78 million tonnes of bauxite reserves, surpassing the 72 million tonnes in the Niyamgiri hills. This abundance has repeatedly attracted mining interests despite the strong opposition.
In 1990, the Congress government in Odisha was defeated and Biju Patnaik became chief minister. While he revisited the idea of mining in Gandhamardan, public protests prompted him to align with the people’s wishes.
When Congress regained power under JB Patnaik in 1995, speculation arose about inviting the Canadian firm Continental Resources Ltd to extract bauxite, reflecting a growing policy shift towards involving private corporations in mining. However, the anti-Balco movement had raised enough public awareness to prevent any move in favour of mining.
The recent designation of the Gandhamardan hills as a Biodiversity Heritage Site in March 2023 has not alleviated fears of renewed mining activities. GYSP activists have vowed to continue their protests until the Odisha Assembly passes a sankalpa patra (pledge) banning mining in the region.
Political figures with ties to past movements, such as Purohit, find themselves under scrutiny. Purohit, who built his political career as a GYSP convener during the anti-Balco agitation, has publicly opposed mining in Gandhamardan. However, locals are watching to see if he will act on his promises amid the current controversy.
The unfolding developments in the Gandhamardan hills represent a critical test of Odisha’s commitment to balancing ecological preservation with industrial interests, as the Adani Group’s growing influence continues to spark debate.
