Green nod to Vedanta's bauxite mining project suspended

Vedanta Resources received another jolt today, with the National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA) suspending the green approval to its $1.7-billion bauxite mining project in Orissa and asking the environment ministry to “revisit” the proposal.

Yesterday, the company, in its reply to the showcause notice slapped by the environment ministry, had claimed it had not violated any forest rights at the project site in Niyamgiri hills of Kalahandi district.

Last month, the ministry had rejected the Stage-II forest clearance for the state-owned Orissa Mining Corporation and the Sterlite Bauxite mining project, citing a series of violations and issued a showcause notice on the issue.

However, in the ruling that was made public today, NEAA took serious note that the environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report, which formed the basis for the ministry granting clearance, was never placed before the public for hearing.

“EIA, conducted in 2005 and on the basis of which the clearance was granted, was never in public domain for local people during the two public hearings held in Raiguda and Kalahandi during 2003,” it said while terming the action non-compliance of the ministry’s notification.