The government of Odisha is likely to appeal to the Supreme Court against the decision by the central government in New Delhi to halt the bauxite mining project being undertaken by Vedanta Resources in the Niyamgiri area of the state.
Of 22 eligible voters in the village, 19 persons -- 12 women and 7 men -- attended the gram sabha, despite heavy rains to voice their opposition to the project. Tadijhola, located on the foothills of Niyamgiri, is predominantly inhabited by the milkmen community.
Verdict to decide fate of Vedanta Aluminium's Rs 40,000-cr projects in Odisha that will source bauxite from Niyamgiri.
Even though Vedanta Resource's proposal to mine bauxite at the sacred mountain in Orissa's Kalahandi district is rejected, for thousands of tribals like Laksa Majhi, who for countless generations have lived in the shadow of Niyamgiri, the insecurities persist.
'As of now there are no mining activities,' but 'who knows the future?'
Sourcing bauxite from other states to add Rs 600 crore to cost.
Even as this village on the slopes of the rugged Niyamgiris gets ready to host the maiden gram sabha on Thursday to decide the fate of a bauxite mining project on the hills, life for the local Dongaria Kondh tribals, who consider the hills sacred, continues as usual.
The Supreme Court on April 18 ordered the villagers be provided with basic forest rights in form of the land titles
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Sunday hit back at Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for calling the national party "corrupt", saying the ruling Biju Janata Dal is responsible for a series of scams in the state.
There is little doubt that the Dongria Kondhs are facing their biggest challenge. Being small in number, they need special attention and care in order to fight this deadly virus.
'They spent thousands of crores to destroy my image and now people think it is harmful to me'
After one stop-work order on the Rs 54,000-crore Posco project, a four-member panel appointed by the Union ministry of environment and forests has dealt a body blow to yet another big-ticket investor in Orissa, the London-based Vedanta Resources Ltd.
The next auction for bauxite blocks in Odisha may see heightened interest with Adani Group charting an entry into alumina refining and existing players looking to boost capacity. Hemant Sharma, principal secretary, Odisha industries department, said that three bauxite blocks have been scheduled for auctions this year. Adani Group - which will be setting up a 4-MMTPA alumina refinery and may enter aluminium production - is expected to bid for mines, though raw material linkages shall be available from Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC).
Moily had last week rejected Vedanta's proposal to mine the Niyamgiri hills after 12 village councils of Dongriya Kondh tribal groups opposed the project in their forests.
Better living conditions must be an integral part of all political campaigns. But this will only happen if the public pressures the political class to understand the irreversibility of climate change and make the environment a crucial part of their manifestos.
Celebrations, of course, will happen when Congress scion, Rahul Gandhi, who anointed himself as the 'sepoy of Niyamgiri tribals in Delhi' at a public meeting here in 2008, visits the area again shortly.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday termed as "illegal" Vedanta's bauxite mining project in Orissa's Niyamgiri hills which was denied environmental clearance by the Centre.
Mining major Vedanta Resources on Thursday said its investment in India would come down by up to $2 billion (nearly Rs 9,000 crore) in the next two years as expansion plans are put on hold after the group has been denied permission to mine bauxite in Orissa's Niyamgiri hills.
All the 12 gram sabhas held in July-August last year had unanimously expressed opposition to the mining operation in the hills saying it would violate their social, cultural and religious rights.
From raw material shortage to environmental activists and high debt, Vedanta Resources is up against a lot.
The most significant development over the last 10 years is that such organisations have accepted the need to operate on the basis of the principle of FPIC, namely Free, Prior and Informed Consent, by the local people whom a mining project affects.
With locals protesting against Hindalco's move to mine Mali Parbat, the contractor who was working on making the mine operational has left.
The demonstrators oncarried placards saying 'Anil Agarwal, Blood on Your hands', 'Who killed Arsi Majhi? Vedanta, Vedanta'.
Addressing a tribal rally marking 'Adivasi Adhikar Diwas' (Rights Day) in Jagannathpur village at the foothills of Niyamgiri hills close to Vedanta's alumina refinery, he said he would he would be their "soldier" in Delhi and continue their fight
The Environment and Forests Ministry was in news throughout 2010 -- be it for Vedanta Resources, Posco and Lavasa -- or for Jairam Ramesh's aggressive green activism.
The mining ban has implications beyond just protecting the environment and tribal rights.
The recent Vedanta verdict is an aberration, not a trend, feels Nityanand Jayaraman.
Sam Pitroda says Rahul Gandhi's support for the tribals is correct and while he backs development he says it must be done by preserving the rights and culture of the tribals.
Permission should be denied before the start of the refinery. To do so now is unfair and damaging to the government's reputation, says Nilmadhab Mohanty.
The office of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has written to the Union environment and forests ministry urging it to clear Vedanta's proposed Niyamgiri mine in Orissa. The mine cannot go ahead without official clearance from the environment ministry.
The Vedanta Group, which was issued a show cause notice for allegedly flouting environment laws, will appear before the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) on Thursday
Vedanta Group, which was denied mining rights in Orissa's Niyamgiri hills, on Thursdaysaid it will not pull out of the state.
According to a senior Vedanta executive, the supply of bauxite from Gujarat should start this week. The Orissa alumina project needs about 3 million tonnes of bauxite to run at full capacity.
Environment struggles are now being used to create political space and new form of vote bank politics, alleges BJP activist Bhupender Yadav.
From a legal perspective, 2008 has been noteworthy for the corporate world as the Supreme Court cleared the environmental hurdles for three projects, which entailed investments in billions of dollars. On other hand, the apex court asked the Central Pollution Control Board to probe into the allegations made the Orissa against Paradeep Phosphates Ltd, which was also asked by the state to shut its factory for releasing hazardous pollutants.
Water or mines? The answer should be obvious, but thanks to the pots of gold that lie hidden in them, mines are robbing the countryside of its natural wealth.
Here are his top 10 quotes from the event
The company aims to make Lanjigarh refinery the first zero-based refinery in the world.
Vedanta Resources has huge interests in India. The promoter and majority shareholder of Vedanta Resources, Anil Agarwal, also founded Sterlite Industries.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday cautioned people against political parties making 'tall pre-election promises' and asked voters not to get misled and carried away.
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