Two geologists of Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Limited, a government of India enterprise, who had come for a survey to assess the graphite and manganese deposits near the Gandhamardan hills in Bargarh district, were detained for two hours by local tribals on Saturday.

The bauxite-rich Gandhamardan hill, which spans Balangir and Bargarh district in western Odisha, is in focus following the Adani group subsidiary Mahanadi Mines and Minerals Private Limited’s acquisition of land in the area for its afforestation programme. However, the group’s purchase of land near Gandhamardan hills, has triggered a controversy, with local tribals, activists and the Opposition suspecting that the company might be planning a mining operation.

The area is also believed to have graphite and manganese deposits.

The two geologists of Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Limited went to Temrimal village in Bargarh district, about five kilometres from the sacred Gandhamardan hills, which are known for their medicinal plants and many perennial streams.

One of the geologists, Kolluri Sudheer told The Telegraph, “I along with my senior Rajesh Patel, the project manager, went to the Temrimal village under Jharbandha Panchayat in Bargarhdistrict to intimate the sarpanch about our proposed survey on the area to assess the deposits of graphite and manganese. We hadearlier intimated the district administration too. The locals detained us, but they let us go after we explained that our survey is not linked to mining. It’s just a survey. The survey was done about five kilometres away from the Gandhamardan hills.”

Sources said the locals allowed the team to leave their village after they assured them they would give them written informationabout what they were planning to do. The locals even filmed the officials’ detention and said they were committed to protecting the sacred Gandhamardan hill.

Former Union minister and senior Congress leader Srikant Jena said, “A systematic attempt is being made to plunder the rich minerals of the Gandhamardan hills and from other hills located in Bargarh and Balangir districts. We fail to understand why the Adani group purchased land in Bargarh and Balangir districts nearGandhamardan for its afforestation programme. They have a coal mine in Sundergarh, and for the loss of vegetation due to mining in that coal block, they need to go for compensatory afforestation. But we fail to understand why they chose Bargarh and Balangir instead of Sundergarh and other places in Odisha. It raises suspicion.”

Jena said, “The Mohan Charan Majhi government should present a white paper on the issue stating that it has no proposal to do mining in Gandhamardan hills and others hills in Bargarh and Balangir district.We have a suspicion that the government may hand over the hills for mining purposes once a fresh survey is completed in and around the Gandhamardan hills.”

The former union minister and senior Congress said, “Adani group enjoys a clear advantage in Odisha. Adani Group’s Mundra Aluminium Limited (MAL) was given the Kutrumali bauxite mines in Raygada district in 2023. It has iron ore projects in Keonjhar. Adani also controls Dhamra Port in Bhadrak and 95% of Gopalpur Port in Berhampur, establishing a near monopoly. The Dhamra LNG Terminal (5 MTPA capacity) consolidates Adani’s grip on infrastructure.”

Jena said, “The Adani group also enjoys the rights to extract coal from the Talabira coal blocks in Sambalpur and Jharsuguda, spanning 1,914 hectares. Now, there is talk that theAdani group may take over the Bhubaneswar Biju Patnaik Airport. As its influence is increasing in Odisha, we need a statement from the Government on Adani’soperation in the state including whether there is any proposal for mining in the Gandhamardan area.”