Government officials are recording the claims of the villagers in the Rayagada and Kalahandi district of Odisha following the direction from the Supreme Court.

   

On April 18, the apex court directed the government to provide the villagers with basic forest rights in the form of land titles.

   

Further, the court said it is only these villagers who can decide whether the proposed Rs 40,000-crore bauxite mining project of Vedanta Group would cause harm to their religious right of worshipping Niyam Raja at Hundaljali, about 10 km from the identified mines area.

   

It may be recalled that Vedanta Aluminium planned to set up the project, consisting of bauxite refining, alumina making and power production, at the Niyamgiri hills.

   

Government officials from the state revenue, forest and other departments are recording the forest rights claims made by 12 villages, where Palli Sabhas will be held between July 18 and August 8 in phases.

   

These claims would be sent to the village forest committees, which, after validation in Palli Sabhas, will be sent to the Supreme Court.

   

The task of recognising fresh claims made by the tribals, after the Supreme Court direction, is meant to authorise them as legal user of the land.