Film on Dongaria tribals' views on mining to be screened on Feb 19

BHUBANESWAR: A documentary film ‘The Referendum’, which is based on the stand of Dongaria tribes living in the Niyamgiri hills on mining in the area, would be screened at the Ravenshaw University on Thursday. 

The 66-minute- long film produced by the Samadrusti Media Group features a legal battle of the Dongaria tribes to save the hills from the clutches of mining mafia. It narrates the story of these primitive groups’ views against mining in the Gram Sabhas organised by the State Government between July and August 2013 on a direction of the Supreme Court. 

The film tells about the struggle of the tribals since 2005 with several ups and downs which finally came to an end on April 18, 2013 when the Supreme Court in a clear verdict asked the village councils of Dongarias to take a decision as to whether bauxite mining would affect their religious, cultural and other rights or not. 

The documentary captures images, moments and views of the Dongarias in front of the Judges in all the 12 Gram Sabha meetings. They register their dissent citing the reasons thereof and reject mining in the verdant hills. 

According to film’s director Tarun Mishra, the film sets a new trend in documentary genre by presenting the views of the affected Dongarias directly without taking any intermediaries into account. “It combines the present reality with assurance of a better future hidden in each message, image and interview of the tribals,” he added.