(a) whether the Government has recently granted forest and Environmental clearance
to Vedanta for the expansion of its aluminium plant at Lanjigarh in Orissa; and
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor?
(a) whether the Government has recently granted forest and Environmental clearance
to Vedanta for the expansion of its aluminium plant at Lanjigarh in Orissa; and
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI NAMO NARAIN MEENA)
(a)&(b) The proposal for diversion of 660.749 ha. forest land for mining of Bauxite ore
in Lanjigarh Bauxite Mines in favour of Orissa Mining Corporation in Kalahandi and Rayagada
District in Orissa was recommended for approval by the Forest Advisory Committee in October,
2006. The recommendations could not be approved by the Competent Authority as the case is
subjudice in Hon’ble Supreme Court.
The proposal of M/s Vedanta for the expansion of the Alumina Refinery (from 1.0 Million
Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) to 6.0 MTPA) at P.O. Lanjigarh, District Kalahandi, Orissa has
been received in the Ministry and as per the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Notification, 2006, Terms of Reference (TOR) have been awarded in March, 2008 for
preparation of the draft Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA)/Environment Management
Plan(EMP) for submission to Orissa State Pollution Control Board for conducting public
hearing/consultations. Further, the Project proponents have been requested to incorporate
all the issues raised during public hearing/ consultation in final EIA/EMP and submit to
the Ministry for taking decision on environmental clearance.