Odishatv Bureau
Bhubaneswar: After successfully halting Vedanta`s Rs 5,000 crore bauxite mining project at Niyamgiri hills in Kalahandi district, Dangaria Kondh tribals joined anti-Posco agitation on Thursday as mark of solidarity with those opposing Posco`s mega steel plant near Paradip.

Carrying their traditional arms like axe, bows and arrows, the 19-member delegation of Dangaria Kondh tribals belonging to Niyamgiri Surakshya Samiti (NSS) led by its president Dadhi Pursika sat at the site of ongoing dharna by Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS) at Gobindpur village under Dhinkia gram panchayat.

"We came to Dhinkia as a mark of solidarity to the agitating villagers who are fighting to save their land like us," Pursika told reporters adding NSS would fully support PPSS.

NSS also expressed concern over the state government`s move to lease out Khandadhar iron ore reserve in Sundergarh district to Posco. "A large number of tribals are likely to be affected if Posco starts iron ore mining at Khandadhar," Pursika said.

Meanwhile, Jagatsinghpur district administration could not undertake construction of the boundary wall and sand filling activities at the proposed plant site villages due to heavy rain, official sources said.

The district officials met the 52 displaced families who are presently staying at the company`s transit camp after being allegedly driven out of Dhinkia village by PPSS for supporting the project, the sources added.

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