Bhubaneswar, June 5 (IANS) Noted activist Medha Patkar was denied entry into Odisha’s Rayagada district on Thursday. She was slated to join a dharna protest in the district’s Kashipur block against the Sijimali bauxite mining project, coinciding with World Environment Day.

When Patkar arrived at Rayagada Railway station at around 4 a.m. on Thursday, the police officials detained her and other activists at the station, citing law and order issues.

Patkar and other activists were later sent to Berhampur by the Rayagada Police.

The district administration has reportedly issued a notice on Wednesday barring the entry and stay of two dozen activists including Patkar, Prafulla Samantara, Narendra Mahanty, Lingaraj Azad, etc. in Rayagada district for a period of two months.

The said activists have also been barred from participating in or instigating any form of protest, Dharana or unlawful assemblies in Kashipur block and adjoining areas.

“There is a reasonable apprehension that, their movement and presence in the Rayagada District may lead to deterioration of law and order, disturb public peace and hinder the smooth conduct of administrative affairs and developmental process in the district,” reads the order reportedly issued by Parul Patawari, the Rayagada District collector.

The district administration also clamped Section 163(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), that replaced section 144 of CrPC in the Dharna area at Sunger Haat in Kashipur block of Rayagada.

Meanwhile, Patkar told reporters that she is not a terrorist and her presence wouldn’t pose a threat to the public. She further added that the activists are not against development but this should be done in a sustainable manner.

A local outfit, Ma Mati Mali Surakhya Mancha, has been protesting against the proposed bauxite mining at Sijimali for the past couple of months. Patkar is supposed to attend two separate programmes in Berhampur and Bhubaneswar on June 6 and 7, respectively.

–IANS

gyan/pgh