Environment ministry issues show-cause notice to Vedanta for violation of forest laws

The Environment and Forests Ministry has issued a show-cause notice to Vedanta Aluminium Limited to reply within a fortnight on allegedly expanding the capacity of its refinery and captive power plant in Orissa without taking green clearance.
Earlier, the Ministry had rejected Vedanta’s bauxite mining project proposed in Niyamgiri Hills in Orissa citing violation of environment norms.
Citing a series of alleged violations by the project proponent Vedanta Aluminium Ltd at its refinery, the Environment Ministry has pointed out that the refinery has already proceeded with construction activity for expansion of the project without obtaining prior environmental clearance. In letters written separately to Chief Operating Officer and business director of the company, the ministry also reminded them that the approval was given on the condition that bauxite for the refinery was to be sourced only from those mines which have already obtained environmental clearance. It also accused the company of illegally grabbing village forest land of 26.123 hectares to carry out a six-fold expansion without permission.

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