Vedanta: Apex court moved against denial of forest clearance
March 10th, 2011 - 12:13 am ICT by IANSNew Delhi, March 9 (IANS) The Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC), a joint venture with Vedanta’s sister concern Sterlite Industries, has moved the Supreme Court against a decision of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to deny forest clearance for the proposed bauxite mining project in the Niyamgiri hills.
The OMC is a joint venture partner in this mining project along with Sterlite industries, which is subsidiary concern of Vedanta.
The MoEF decision has upset the project plans to mine the hills and set up an aluminium refinery in the area. The Sterlite industries, the petition says had asked the state government to allot the alternate site which has not materialised so far.
The OMC owns the mines in the Niyamgiri hills. The petition said that by the apex court judgment of Nov 21, 2007 and Aug 8, 2008, the Sterlite Industry - the arm of Vedanta was permitted to mine the hills.
The petition said that despite the court’s clearance, the MoEF has once again reopened the issue by reversing the clearance to the project. The petition described the MoEF action as “unique and unprecedented” as it over-turned the apex court clearance.
“The Supreme Court took into account ecological, environmental, wildlife and relief and rehabilitation measures for tribals before giving clearance,” the petition has said.
The petition said that overturning the clearance adversely affects the market standing of the OMC and the investment climate in the state.
It may be recalled that there was huge opposition to the mining-cum-refinery project by the local population. The MoEF panel in August 2010 found Vedanta guilty of expanding its refinery without clearance and had shot down its mining plans.
In the mining-cum-refinery project, Vedanta had signed a deal with Orissa government in 2003 for the construction of an aluminium refinery and had proposed to extract three million tonnes of bauxite per year from Niyamgiri hilltop.
The forest bench of the apex court had denied Vedanta the permission to mine and instead asked Sterlite to do so provided the environmental norms were adhered to.
- Supreme Court notice to government on Orissa project - Apr 21, 2011
- Apex court questions environment ministry on Niyamgiri (Lead) - Aug 01, 2011
- Supreme Court asks for fresh petition on Orissa mining issue - Apr 01, 2011
- Supreme Court questions environment ministry on Niyamgiri - Aug 01, 2011
- Apex court's final hearing on Sterlite project next year (Lead) - Aug 23, 2011
- Vedanta replies to ministry's showcause notices - Sep 15, 2010
- Orissa moves SC against denial of green nod to Vedanta mining project - Apr 01, 2011
- India junks Vedanta's mining bid on environment concerns - Aug 24, 2010
- Vedanta companies tumble at bourses after mining ban - Aug 24, 2010
- Orissa seeking legal opinion on Vedanta project - Oct 28, 2010
- No environment clearance to Vedanta - Jul 02, 2011
- Vedanta won't give fight over Orissa hill tribe's sacred mountain - Feb 01, 2011
- Vedanta taps Gujarat for bauxite for Orissa refinery - Sep 02, 2010
- Maharashtra promises 'credible action' against Lavasa developers - Oct 20, 2011
- Troubled Vedanta loses appeal for controversial Orissa refinery - Oct 22, 2010
Tags: alternate site, apex, apex court, bauxite mining, court judgment, forest clearance, investment climate, joint venture, mining corporation, mining project, ministry of environment, ministry of environment and forests, moef, orissa government, refinery project, rehabilitation measures, sister concern, sterlite industries, tribals, venture partner