By IANS,
Bhubaneswar: Orissa has sought legal opinion to decide its further course of action on Vedanta Resources mining project which was denied clearance by the central environment ministry in August, an official said Thursday.
“We have sought legal opinion from the advocate general on the matter. We will decide what to do only after receiving his opinion,” Steel and Mines Secretary Manoj Ahuja told IANS.
The environment ministry in August scrapped Vedanta’s bauxite mining project in Niyamgiri hills in Kalahandi district, saying that it will effect the environment and disturb primitive tribes living in the area for ages.
In October 2004, Orissa signed an agreement with Vedanta for setting up an integrated alumina and aluminium complex along with the associated captive power plant in the state. This agreement also included supplying bauxite for the Vedanta’s alumina refinery at Lanjigarh.