New Delhi: In a big blow to Vedanta Resources, the government today rejected environment clearance to its $1.7 billion bauxite mining project in Orissa after accepting recommendations of its key panel clearing such ventures, reports PTI.
Giving reasons for the denial of clearance, environment minister Jairam Ramesh told reporters that "there has been a very serious violation of Environment Protection Act, Forest Conservation Act and the Forest Rights Act.
"There have been no emotions and no politics and no prejudice involved in this report. I have taken this decision in a proper legal approach," he said.
The decision came after the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC), which had submitted the report to Mr Ramesh after reviewing the suggestions given by the N C Saxena panel seeking ban on the mining project in Orissa's Niyamgiri Hills in view of various violations at the site.
The Saxena report has citied many violations of the in-principle environment clearance given to Orissa Mining Corporation in 2008 including non-compliance with the provisions of the Forest Rights Act.
"The consent certificate of the gram sabha was fake," the panel said in its report while recommending not to approve the project because of large scale violations.
Stressing that his ministry was not getting into any "witch-hunt", Mr Ramesh said the Orissa government had violated the Forest Rights Act and Vedanta Resources violated the Environment Protection Act (EPA).
"We are examining what action has to be taken against the project proponents for violation of various laws including the EPA," he said.
Mr Ramesh said he has no prejudices against the Orissa government as his ministry has cleared an important irrigation project in the state for which the in-principle approval was accorded yesterday.
"While rejecting this (Vedanta) project, I have also cleared an important irrigation project in the state in which over 1500 hectares of forest land is involved," the minister said.
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One can take a guarantee bond from the companion that after exhaustion of minerals the company will try to bring some semblance to originality. The
State of Central govt can levy a surcharge and thus deposit these funds for rehabilitation of the mine.
When we talk of environment, I will ask Minister Mr. Ramesh to define it as
the word means different things to different people and thus progress of the nation can be impeded.
Look the streets of Delhi and number of animal roaming and leaving the environmental impact or the monkeys running wild and leaving their impression of environment. Why be knit picking and stop the country progress