Government shuns Vedanta mine

Enviromine

India’s government has refused Vedanta Resources plc’s application for a bauxite mine in Orissa, following a report that said the proposed operation violated environmental laws.

Jairam Ramesh, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment & Forests said in is final ruling on the application that the mining company’s violations of legislation “appear to be too egregious to be glossed over,” adding that the ministry was also in the process of examining what penal action should be initiated for the violation of various laws listed in the earlier report.

Vedanta responded to the alleged infractions by saying it “reconfirms that there have been no regulatory violations of any kind at the Lanjigarh Alumina refinery”.

The company added that it “is not in possession of the Niyamgiri mine and no mining activity has been or will be undertaken until all approvals are in place”.

Non-government groups have vigorously lobbied against the project, and human rights activists Amnesty International labelled the decision as a “landmark victory”.

Madhu Malhotra, Amnesty Asia-Pacific deputy director, said: “The companies and the Orissa government should now guarantee that they will not attempt to simply move the project to another site without ensuring adequate safeguards. They must ensure they will respect the human rights of indigenous and local communities.”

Vedanta said it remains committed to working with the local communities to ensure sustainable development in the region.