Risk to wildlife
The Niyamgiri reserve forests are home to spotted deer, sambar, wild boar and leopards. People complain that the Vedanta refinery and its staff quarters and the guesthouse near the hill are disturbing the wildlife. B Patra, assistant conservator of forests, Kalahandi, south division, admitted there was one case of killing of a sambar six months ago. Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti president Kumuti Majhi alleged that while contractors and their employees working for the company were involved in most cases of poaching, they would shift the blame on tribal people whenever the authorities turned the heat on them.
People also allege leopard skin was seized in the area recently, but officials deny this.
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