Will Andhra governor cancel mining leases?

Following requests from people residing in tribal-dominated Schedule V areas of Visakhapatnam district in Andhra Pradesh, the Union ministry of mines has decided to return mining proposals to the state government for further consideration. This was announced by minister of mines with independent charge, Dinsha Patel, in the Lok Sabha on May 18. “This (the move) would enable the governor of Andhra Pradesh to use his discretionary powers on the issue of the proposals,” the mines ministry said in a statement.

Letters - April 30, 2012

Give coffee a chance

Letters - February 29, 2012

Road to Hell

Cheated for bauxite

Mining firms set up shop in Orissa

Lanjigarh block, Kalahandi, Orissa, May 17 At its summit, the northeastern ridge of the Niyamgiri hill range has a bald patch, typical of hilltops with bauxite deposits. A dense tree cover that provides a welcome shade to climbers struggling some 8 km up the steep forest path gives way to a vast stretch of open grassland.

Mining firms set up shop in Orissa

The key element in this story is bauxite, the principal raw material for a much-in-demand metal—aluminium. Widely used in construction, as packaging material and for making automobile and aircraft bodies, global aluminium consumption increased from 32 million tonnes in 2005 to 35 million tonnes in 2006. It is expected to grow at similar levels in 2007, spurred largely by Chinese demand.

Vedanta's expansion plan hits road block

Mining major Vedanta Aluminum Limited's (VAL) plans of expanding its one million tonnes per annum refinery at Lanjigarh in Odisha has hit an environmental road block. An expert committee of the Ministry of Environment and Forest ((MoEF) has asked the company to carry out a fresh environmental impact assessment (EIA) for expanding the plant's capacity.

NEAA cancels environmental clearance to Vedanta bauxite mining

The National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA) today cancelled the environmental clearance given to Vedanta's bauxite mining in the Niyamgiri hills of Orissa. The authority has now referred the matter to the Union environment ministry for final consideration.

Forest alert

Few committees have been as forthright as the N C Saxena Committee on the violation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) by the very authorities which are charged with upholding them—the state governments.

Clampdown on Vedanta

FOR months there has been speculation in Delhi about an imminent clampdown on metals giant Vedanta's bauxite mining operations in Orissa.