A resounding victory for indigenous people
New Delhi: The Vedanta mining project in Orissa has run into trouble again as the environment ministry on Tuesday rejected its plan for forest clearance for the project in the Niyamgiri Hills in Orissa.
The mining group, which was to mine bauxite in Orissa, suffered the blow at a time when it was struggling with regulatory issues in India.
Environment minister Jairam Ramesh said: "Only after being reassured by the attorney general, I have gone ahead with my decision -- upholding the recommendation of the panel after due consideration."
The Forest Advisory Committee on Tuesday recommended that the "in-principle clearance" to the mining proposal, put forward by Orissa Mining Corporation, be withdrawn.
Last week, the committee set up by the government had said that the bauxite mining project, worth Rs. 5000 crore, should not be allowed in Western Orissa's Kalahandi district.
The committee, headed by NC Saxena, said that the Vedanta project endangers nearly 7500 square km of forest land, and that it violates tribal forest rights.
The company, through its subsidiary Sterlite India, has a joint agreement with Orissa Mining Corporation to mine bauxite at the Niyamgiri Hills.
The committee’s recommended that the company has not settled claims under the Forest Rights Act.
"Traditional and customary rights as well as age-old access of the Dongaria and Kutia Kondh tribes to the area have been recognised in several forest settlement reports and government working plans. Also, several gram sabhas of the affected villages have passed resolutions claiming community and habitat rights,” the ministry said in a statement.
"It is argued that it would be incorrect for the Orissa government to claim that these primitive tribes have no claims or rights under the Forest Rights Act, 2006. The affected groups, Dongaria Kondh and Kutia Kondh, are both Scheduled Tribes. The Constitution requires that the government respect and uphold the land rights of the Scheduled Tribes.
“Additionally, both the Dongaria Kondh and Kutia Kondh have been notified as primitive tribal groups and are, therefore, eligible for special protection. The Niyamgiri Hills are the sole habitat of the two tribes and at least 20% of the Dongaria Kondh population lives in villages in and around the forest blocks of the proposed mining project area,” the statement read.
The panel also sough action against Vedanta Alumina Refinery at Lanjigarh and said that steps should be immediately taken against the refinery for illegally encroaching and enclosing 26 hectares of forest land.
New Delhi: The Vedanta mining project in Orissa has run into trouble again as the environment ministry on Tuesday rejected its plan for forest clearance for the project in the Niyamgiri Hills in Orissa. The mining group, which was to mine bauxite in Orissa, suffered the blow at a time when it...
New Delhi: The Vedanta mining project in Orissa has run into trouble again as the environment ministry on Tuesday rejected its plan for forest clearance for the project in the Niyamgiri Hills in Orissa.
The mining group, which was to mine bauxite in Orissa, suffered the blow at a time when it was struggling with regulatory issues in India.
Environment minister Jairam Ramesh said: "Only after being reassured by the attorney general, I have gone ahead with my decision -- upholding the recommendation of the panel after due consideration."
The Forest Advisory Committee on Tuesday recommended that the "in-principle clearance" to the mining proposal, put forward by Orissa Mining Corporation, be withdrawn.
Last week, the committee set up by the government had said that the bauxite mining project, worth Rs. 5000 crore, should not be allowed in Western Orissa's Kalahandi district.
The committee, headed by NC Saxena, said that the Vedanta project endangers nearly 7500 square km of forest land, and that it violates tribal forest rights.
The company, through its subsidiary Sterlite India, has a joint agreement with Orissa Mining Corporation to mine bauxite at the Niyamgiri Hills.
The committee’s recommended that the company has not settled claims under the Forest Rights Act.
"Traditional and customary rights as well as age-old access of the Dongaria and Kutia Kondh tribes to the area have been recognised in several forest settlement reports and government working plans. Also, several gram sabhas of the affected villages have passed resolutions claiming community and habitat rights,” the ministry said in a statement.
"It is argued that it would be incorrect for the Orissa government to claim that these primitive tribes have no claims or rights under the Forest Rights Act, 2006. The affected groups, Dongaria Kondh and Kutia Kondh, are both Scheduled Tribes. The Constitution requires that the government respect and uphold the land rights of the Scheduled Tribes.
“Additionally, both the Dongaria Kondh and Kutia Kondh have been notified as primitive tribal groups and are, therefore, eligible for special protection. The Niyamgiri Hills are the sole habitat of the two tribes and at least 20% of the Dongaria Kondh population lives in villages in and around the forest blocks of the proposed mining project area,” the statement read.
The panel also sough action against Vedanta Alumina Refinery at Lanjigarh and said that steps should be immediately taken against the refinery for illegally encroaching and enclosing 26 hectares of forest land.
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