Tribal villagers in India allege forgery for Adani mine project

Indigenous villagers in the Koraput district of Odisha, India, have alleged that signatures and thumb impressions were forged to grant consent for a bauxite mining project. The $24 million project is being developed by Kalinga Alumina Limited, a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Limited, owned by Gautam Adani.

Local residents from Balda and Bannur villages claim that nearly 600 tribal members had their consent falsely documented during village council meetings held in October last year. One resident, Raghunath Khara, stated that he never attended the meeting and that the thumb impression used to signify his consent was fake.

The proposed mine is set to occupy a significant portion of Balda Hill, an area containing forests, grasslands, and caves considered sacred by at least 10 surrounding tribal villages. The allegations suggest a violation of constitutional rights and forest laws intended to protect Indigenous communities and their traditional lands.