All 24 villages which are “officially affected”
by Utkal Alumina International Limited
fall into these 5 Panchayats

Opinion of the Kodipari Gram Panchayat

I, Srimati Ghasen Jhodia, am the sarpanch of the Kodipari gram panchayat. I did not go the company’s meeting. I oppose the company’s meeting. I will never go to any such meeting. Our lands, homesteads and all our agricultural land will be lost. Where will our coming generations and we go?

Therefore I have not even got our panchayat registered (for the company’s meetings). The people of our panchayat have been fighting to stop the company. We continue to oppose the company. Today I too stand in total opposition to the company.

Signed on 13-10-2003 By the sarpanch, Kodipari Gram Panchayat
(representing 8 of 24 "officially affected" villages)

Gram Panchayat Office, Panchayat Samiti, Maikanch [Rayagada District]

I, Shri Dudheswar Jhodia, am the sarpanch of the Maikanch gram panchayat. I did not go to the company’s meeting. I oppose the Utkal Alumina Company. I will not hand over the lands, forests, homestreads and hills belonging to my gram panchayat to the company. In fact, a gram sabha meeting in opposition to Utkal Alumina has been conducted in our gram panchayat. Our gram panchayat does not want this company. A copy of the gram sabha’s decisions has been sent to the P.K. Mishra enquiry commission. Three of our innocent adivasi brethren have been made martyrs by the bullets of the police and the company. We have always opposed the company. And we will forever oppose it.

Signed on 18-10-2003

By the sarpanch, Maikanch Gram Panchayat
(representing 4 of 24 "officially affected" villages)

The Tikiri Gram Panchayat

I, Srimati Janaki Kumari Majhi, am the Sarpanch of the Tikiri Gram Panchayat. We had attended the company’s meeting on behalf of the Panchayat. We expressed the opinion that whatever the people say will have to be done. My own opinion is that I do not want the company until the people ask for it. We expressed this opinion at the meeting called by the company. In fact, we have never testified in favour of the company’s entry. If anything suggesting that we opined in favour of the company’s entry has got published anywhere, that write-up is completely false and untrue. The truth is that the people do not want this company today, and I do not want it either.

Signed on 13-10-2003

By the sarpanch, Tikiri Gram Panchayat
(representing 5 of 24 "officially affected" villages)

Gram Panchayat Office, Panchayat Samiti, Kucheipadar [Rayagada District]

Date: 13-10-2003

I held palli sabha (hamlet meetings) and gram sabha regarding the opinion of the people. I will oppose the company until the people want it. I have neither gone to any meeting of Utkal Alumina nor have I signed any papers. Our people do not want this company; I therefore totally oppose it.Signed on 13-10-2003

By S. Saunta, sarpanch, Kucheipadar Gram Panchayat
(representing 5 of 24 "officially affected" villages)

Gram Panchayat Office, Hadiguda

I, Shri Fakir Majhi, am putting this down in writing. I had gone to the Utkal Alumina company’s meeting…. I said nothing to the effect that the company should be set up there…. I only said that everything should be done according to the wishes of our people. The people of Hadiguda do not want this company. Therefore the treaty with the company should be scrapped.

Signed on 13-10-2003

By the sarpanch, Hadiguda Panchayat
(representing 2 of 24 "officially affected" villages)