Panel to probe Vedanta project impact on tribe

Troubles seem to be mounting for Anil Aggarwal promoted Vedanta’s bauxite mining project in Orissa as the environment ministry has asked a four-member committee,headed by NAC member N C Saxena,to investigate in detail the possible physical and economic displacement of the primitive Dongria Kondhs tribe. The committee has also been asked to ascertain whether the project would impact their cultural and social lives.

The move comes in the wake of Attorney General G E Vahanvati’s opinion that the environment ministry has the right to decide on the final approval to the company’s bauxite mining project in the tribal-dominated Nyamgiri hills in the coastal state’s backward Lanjigarh district. Before the opinion,the ministry officials had argued that the Supreme Court had already given approval to the project in 2008.

After receiving the opinion,the ministry widened the scope of the committee by inserting five new stringent terms of reference in addition to the existing ones.

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One of the most important clauses added by MoEF was on ascertaining whether the Forest Rights Act (FRA),which mandated seeking approval of the locals before implementing the project,has been implemented or not.

The committee has been empowered to investigate any issue related to the project,which could trigger further concerns for the LSE-listed company. The panel,which has been asked to submit its report by August has already visited the area twice. Vedanta’s mining project has seen a war of letters between the ministry and the Orissa government with the latter refuting the claims that the company has failed to abide by the FRA.