Tribal people and Odisha exploited again ? How to stop this loop of merciless extraction

Tribal people's land is in trouble again. And it's not just a loss for the tribal people — it's a loss for the whole of Odisha and its future generations.

Since independence, the central govt hasn't given importance to the people inhabiting the mineral-rich land. The inheritors of the land are poor. Without education. Without even rights.

What can we do?

We can begin by looking at the root cause. Why does the same thing happen again and again?

If you look at the industries present in these mineral ore rich areas, they only focus on extracting the raw material. Example — Odisha gets bauxite and converts it to aluminum. But not alloy. Not aerospace components (a rising industry).

The current industry structure is more like rent extraction. Very low value added to the extracted material. For Odisha to get more wealth — and therefore a chance for tribal people to integrate into society while keeping their ways alive — this has to change.

If higher value added products are produced near the extraction place, you get better schools, colleges, companies, supporting industries. An overall network effect.

Of course we can look at the past and blame the FEP policy. But looking at the past won't do anything. We need to start now, so that in a decade people will be much better off. And GDP higher too.

Does this stop extraction? Well, it doesn't. But the chances increase for sustainability, less social and ecological damage, and better reward for the people most affected. We can't stop it immediately. But we can begin immediately.

Right now Odisha bears the highest environmental and social cost with the smallest slice of the value chain. We need to ensure Odisha gets the whole pie. Due to its close proximity to raw material and ports, it can stand in the global competitive arena.

For anyone interested in understanding the value chain visually, see this: https://seeutkal.com/value-chain

What can you do as an individual?

You don't need to be a policymaker or an industrialist. You can start small.

- Buy from tribal cooperatives and Odisha artisans. Dongria Kondh crafts, Santhal weaves, Kotpad textiles. Their livelihood stays alive. Their ways too.

- Share this idea with people around you. Most don't even know the problem exists. They think mining just means jobs. Nothing more.

- Donate to orgs helping tribals claim their rights under the Forest Rights Act. Vasundhara Odisha, Land Conflict Watch, Kalpavriksh. Legal recognition of their land is the strongest shield they have.

None of this stops extraction tomorrow. But small things add up. And they shape who does the bigger stuff later.

Edited by AI, claude opus 4.6