Community Concerns Stall Vedanta's Bauxite Mining Plans in Odisha
The Union Environment Ministry has postponed a decision on Vedanta's proposal to divert over 700 hectares of Odisha forest for bauxite mining, due to unresolved community consent, compensatory afforestation, and ecological risks. The Forest Advisory Committee highlighted local concerns and ecological challenges, delaying project clearance until issues are resolved.
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Vedanta Limited's ambitious plan to divert over 700 hectares of lush forest land in Odisha's Rayagada and Kalahandi districts has been put on hold by the Union Environment Ministry. The decision, steeped in controversy, arises from lingering community consent issues and ecological risks.
The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) scrutinized the proposal at an August 25 meeting, pointing out Odisha's silence on key concerns raised by local villagers and petitioners before the Orissa High Court. Earlier, the court flagged allegations of fraudulent Gram Sabha resolutions supporting the mining project, insisting on community consent before proceeding.
Vedanta aims to mine nine million tonnes of bauxite annually from the proposed site, partly to supply its Lanjigarh refinery. However, the FAC identified the project area as an elephant habitat prone to severe soil erosion, demanding a detailed erosion control plan and inputs from Project Elephant. Additionally, concerns about overlapping compensatory afforestation sites remain unresolved, keeping the fate of Vedanta's first bauxite mine in Odisha uncertain.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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