Rayagada:Renowned environmental activist Medha Patkar,who reached Rayagada was returned back by Rayagada police today.Patkar who reached Rayagada by a train to attend a environmental meeting at Kashipur area in the district was detained at the railway station by police,before she could participate in a public meeting scheduled at Hatpada in Rayagada.The meeting,organised to mark World Environment Day, aimed to raise voices against proposed mining activities at the Sijimali mines.Sources said,
the meeting was intended as a platform for local communities and activists to express their opposition to bauxite mining in the region.Patkar,a prominent figure in India’s grassroots environmental and social justice movements, was scheduled to address the gathering and extend her support to the resistance.When I got off the train, police stopped me at the station. I sat there and they asked me to wait in the VIP lounge, but I refused. I was supposed to go to the house of the person who came to receive me and then attend the program. But the police did not allow it. The police showed me an order from the Collector listing around 25 names of people who were barred from entering Rayagada district.They accused me of coming here to ‘instigate’ people. This is the situation,” she told mediamen,before taken in a vehicle escorted by police.When asked where Patkar is being taken,a police officer denied to disclose the destination and said as per the order of the collector Parul patwari,Patkar has been returned back from the district.Sources said,Patkar taken to Berhampur,where she was schedule to attend a meeting on rushiklya bachao and protection of environment.Meanwhile the meeting held on kantamal village of sunger panchayat.Somehow some social activists including prafulla samataray,those were in the collectors list,reached the meeting,wherein over 2 thousand local people gathered.Massive police deployed at various vulnerable places in Kashipur block.
