INDUSTRIALISATION IN ORISSA, AFTERMATH OF KALINGA NAGAR Dr. Swami Arupananda, Ph.D., D.Sc.

Orissa consists of thirty districts, more than half of which are inhabited by tribal populations. At the same time Orissa is rich in minerals and resources. Due to the existing poverty, illiteracy, population and unemployment problems the state looks towards industrialization in various aspects and this is a valid step towards development. Except NALCO and ten odd other companies, the remaining companies or industries do not satisfy employment and people based needs.

Recently the Kalinga Nagar incident has rocked the state and shocked the country. Moreover, it has given fuel and food to different political parties to play their sophisticated as well as non polished blame games and get maximum mileage out of it. However, as a whole the state is shrouded with sorrow at the death of the twelve tribal people and so also the policemen. Orissa also sheds tears for the gruesome mutilation of the deceased bodies which has turned into a human rights issue.

It is therefore time now to look at why this has occurred and could it have been avoided. An enquiry has to be made into whether it was the faulty decision or policy of the Government, whether there was a communication barrier between the Government and the people, or whether it was the dark hands of such outside agencies that wished and wanted to jeopardize the process of industrialization and the development of the state as a whole. These factors need to be clearly identified and addressed.

If we take a look at the process firstly we find that in the interest of the state, the Government has a right to sign MoUs with various MNCs and thus will provide land, water, electricity etc. to them. The government has the right to give any land of the state for the benefit of the people at large. However, before doing so, it has to look into what category of land it is, who it is inhabited by and what the socio-economic and environmental consequences of such a step. Take an example- IDCO has purchased land in Kalinga Nagar from the tribal people. When we talk of taking land for industrialization, here a fact comes to light that it is very easy to displace families from their native place and as difficult to rehabilitate them elsewhere. No one looks into the sentiments attached to the land over generations. Therefore, when IDCO a Government agency or even the Government by itself decides to take any piece of land, whether rural, tribal or urban, the basic as well as maximum comfort of the displaced families and individuals have to be thought of not just from the point of view of humanity but so also from the point of view of rights. On evaluation of land from Kalinga Nagar, people have been compensated at the rate of ten to fifteen thousand rupees, whereas the same land has been sold to the TATA group at the rate of three lakhs. If that is the difference in the margin of the land that was initially bought from the tribal population and the land that was sold to the TATA group, then at least half of those three lakhs should have been spent on the families that are displaced.

The second point to be raised in this context is regarding the type of compensation. Compensation should have been in the form of landed property, with proper housing, basic necessities like provision of water, electricity, sanitation, education and health. Apart from that each displaced family should have been assured and provided with employment by the company.

The third aspect that comes to light is that of the process of evacuation. Before evacuating people, the Government should deploy spokesmen and social activists to liaison between them and the public. This should be done prior to and continuing till the proper outcome of the project. If it would have been done, this kind of hazard would not have taken place at all. Before setting up anything, the families to be displaced should have been made aware of the Why? How? and What? Of the project as well as the benefits. The local representatives of the Government (irrespective of whether in the opposition or ruling party) should frequently visit the place, interact with people and make them aware of everything. This also holds true for beuracrats. Politics in Orissa is beurocrat dependent, whereas it should have been the other way round. Therefore the beurocrats have a major role to play in whatever is happening and whatever is not happening. They could have played a vital role in the dialogue process too.

The fourth objective to view is that whenever any crisis comes to the state or country, all parties in the democratic method should form an all party committee to solve problems rather than create problems in the country. It is amazing to see that the ruling party at the center bled for the twelve people who died and arrived in Orissa immediately, whereas in 1999 when over fifty thousand people died because of the onslaught of the super cyclone, the reaction of the same people was extremely slow and instant sympathy was distant.

The point is that political parties are at present trying to get popularity at a cheap rate, rather than convincing people, solving problems, clearing the situation and putting the state back on the roads of industrialization. So far the Kalinga nagar issue is concerned, it is a black mark in the history of Orissa because of the way the tribal families suffered physical and mental agony with irreplaceable damage to their very existence. Mutilation of the body or of the mind, before or after death, in any form or shape is against the principles of nature and humanity.

Providing monetary compensation towards the plight of the people and their suffering is not just the question. But henceforth, the Government should have a proper plan and policy as well as a committee comprising of Government representatives, activists and experts from the socio-economic field to carry out dialogues, analyse the situation and give solution for the smoother process of industrialization. Otherwise it will be a big problem for Orissa which stands with thirty two MoUs with different companies at present. If this kind of situation arises, companies will start withdrawing one by one, jeopardizing the process of the state and we will be back to square one on the path of development.

Dr. Swami Arupananda, Ph.D., D.Sc.
Chairman, Arupa Mission Research Foundation
And Freelance Journalist.