SC defers hearing on Niyamgiri bauxite mine case

MoEF has sought more time to submit affidavit

The Supreme Court (SC) today deferred the hearing on the petition challenging cancellation of forest clearance of Niyamgiri bauxite mine belonging to Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) for two more weeks as the central government asked for more time to submit its reply.

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF), which is a party to the case for canceling the licence, sought more time to submit its affidavit justifying its action. The case will now be heard in the first week of February.

The next hearing date could be the concluding date of hearing of the case, said sources.

This mine is critical for the Lanjigarh alumina refinery of Vedanta Aluminium Ltd (VAL), which had entered into a joint venture agreement with OMC for sourcing of bauxite for the project. VAL has already closed down its one million tonne a year alumina refinery citing acute shortage of bauxite to run the plant.