A group of 35 Orang Asli in Ulu Geruntum, Gopeng filed an application at the Ipoh High Court today seeking an injunction to stop the construction of a hydropower plant on their ancestral land.

The legal action follows several of their complaints lodged against clearing activities at the site which they say are being conducted without their consent.

The group, via their lawyer's firm - A Sivanesan & Co – have also issued a letter to the relevant parties to stop the clearing work.

In their application, the 35 Orang Asli of the Semai tribe want the court to declare the land they are residing on at the site as Orang Asli reserve land, ancestral land and native customary land.

They also want the court to stop further encroachment and named the Perak state government, the federal government and four other parties as defendants.

The other four are Perak Hydro Renewable Energy Corporation Sdn Bhd, Conso Hydro RE Sdn Bhd, the Perak Land and Mines Department director and the Orang Asli Affairs Department director-general.

The 35 come from six villages in Ulu Geruntum which are Kampung Sungai Kapor, Kampung Sat, Kampung Ulu Kepayang, Kampung Empang Main, Kampung Poh dan Kampung Ulu Geruntum.

They also claimed that 50 graves of their ancestors were destroyed by agents of the defendants when they cleared part of the land and as such want compensation.

It was reported that the government-backed private hydropower plant at the site is expected to start construction this year and begin operations in 2023.

The affected villagers have been protesting against the project since 2012 when it was first announced.

The project includes plans to build 31 mini-dams along three rivers, including Sungai Geruntum and Sungai Kampar.