Road to contentious Sijimali bauxite block gets final forest clearance

The Centre has approved diversion of forest land for a key access road to the Vedanta-linked Sijimali bauxite block, while legal challenges to the project continue

In a significant development for the controversial Sijimali bauxite mining project, the Centre has approved Stage-II (final) forest clearance for diversion of 4.911 hectares of forest land for construction of a approach road connecting to the mineral block in Odisha.

 

The 3.4 km road to the mineral block leased out to Vedanta Group was the centre of controversy as it led to clashes between police and agitating locals in Kantamal and Sagabari villages in Rayagada district, leaving around 70 people, including 58 police personnel injured on April 7.

 

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has finally granted the statutory clearance for diversion of the forest land for construction of the road that would connect the Sijimali bauxite mine hilltop with State Highway-44 in Rayagada district. The road is considered critical for transportation of bauxite from one of the state's largest untapped mineral deposits.

   

The approval comes barely weeks after the violent clashes. Local tribal groups and activists have been opposing mining activities in the ecologically sensitive and predominantly tribal region, alleging inadequate consultation and threats to their traditional livelihoods.

 

The final clearance was issued by the MoEFCC's Regional Office in Bhubaneswar after the Odisha government and Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco), the project proponent for the road, complied with conditions stipulated under the Stage-I approval granted in January this year. Subsequently, the Odisha Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department formally permitted diversion of the forest land on May 27.  

 

The ministry also imposed an extensive set of environmental safeguards as part of the approval. These include compensatory afforestation over 6.07 hectares of government non-forest land identified at Tingarjhola village in Rayagada district and additional compensatory afforestation over five hectares of degraded forest land in Pedakonda reserve forest. The user agency will bear the entire cost of afforestation and maintenance.

 

Spread across 18 revenue villages in Kashipur block of Rayagada district and Thuamul Rampur block of neighbouring Kalahandi district, the Sijimali deposit is estimated to contain about 311 million tonnes of high-grade bauxite. The block was auctioned to Vedanta Ltd, which plans to use the ore primarily for feeding its alumina refinery operations in Odisha.

 

The road project is considered the first major physical infrastructure required for operationalisation of the mine. The approach road will link the hilltop mining area with SH-44, connecting to a nearby railway siding, enabling transportation of bauxite from the lease area.

 

The Centre's approval specifically pointed out that the validity and operational continuation of the Stage-II forest clearance will depend on the outcome of two petitions pending before the Eastern Zone Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Kolkata. The appeals, filed by tribal activist Munidei Majhi and others, challenge various aspects of the forest diversion and mining approvals.  

 

Officials said, the approval mandates transfer of Net Present Value (NPV) charges, geotagging and monitoring of plantations, demarcation of diverted forest land with reinforced concrete pillars, and full compliance with provisions of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 before handing over the forest land.

 

Given the hilly terrain and the anticipated movement of heavy mining vehicles, the ministry has directed construction of retaining walls, breast walls and drainage structures to prevent soil erosion and slope instability. The user agency has also been instructed to prepare a scientific muck disposal plan, ensure that debris does not roll down hill slopes, and explore transplantation of as many trees as possible before felling.

 

"The conditions also require plantation of indigenous tree species along both sides of the road to mitigate dust pollution from future mining traffic. Adequate wildlife crossings and underpasses must be provided wherever necessary, while speed-regulating signages are to be installed across forest stretches. The forest land to be diverted will under no circumstances be transferred to any other user agency, department or person without the prior approval of the MoEF&CC," stated the order, reviewed by Business Standard.

 

The ministry also prohibited the establishment of labour camps inside forest areas and barred construction of any additional roads beyond the approved alignment. The Sijimali block is among the most strategically significant deposits due to its size and proximity to existing alumina and aluminium manufacturing infrastructure.

 

Earlier this month, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the ministry had also recommended conditional environmental clearance for the proposed 1,549-hectare Sijimali bauxite mine, subject to the outcomes of he pending cases in the Supreme Court and NGT. The panel besides mandating that no mining can occur on the 709.72 hectares of diverted forest land until Stage-II forest clearance is secured, it advised for a Rs 34.44 crore site-specific wildlife conservation plan, given the presence of 24 Schedule-I species near the lease area.

 

The project has emerged as one of the most contentious mining ventures in eastern India due to opposition from sections of local tribal communities over the past two years, with villagers expressing concerns over displacement, forest loss, water security and cultural impacts.

 

With the final forest clearance now in place, the construction of the access road is expected to proceed, subject to compliance with all environmental conditions and the outcome of the pending NGT proceedings. The Public Works Department (PwD) of the state government will construct the approach road.