Activists block Vedanta from recieving Golden peacock
Vedanta Aluminium Limited or VAL made news in 2005 for proposing an aluminum refinery in Lanjigarh district, Orissa. The refinery was a little too close to the revered Niyamgiri hills, much to the discomfort of the locals. But, government officials assured the crowds that the refinery would be fed by ore from Chattisgarh…far, far away.
But soon Vedanta sought a lease to mine the bauxite deposits of Niyamgiri, arguing that with deposits so close, it would be a waste of time and resource to travel so far.
Vedanta won the lease. Forests were cleared to make way for open cast mines and the Supreme Court reserved judgment on PILs filed by activists and locals protesting against it.
Vedanta's latest proposal was the refinery's expansion. The state pollution control board held a public hearing in April 2009 to hear what the people had to say…most complained of polluted air and water (watch video below)
The hearing was disrupted. And, the expansion of Vedanta's refinery cleared.
Activist film maker Surya Dash attended a public hearing in Orissa. It was held to discuss the fall outs of the proposed expansion of Vedanta's aluminum refinery...the proceedings were an eye opener...shows you how democracy really works
Miners want no Public Hearing Officials representing Vedanta seemed anxious to ensure that the public hearing held to discuss the proposed expansion of their Aluminium refinery at Lanjigarh district in Orissa, did not reconvene
Forests cleared for Vedanta
15th April 2008 33.73 ha granted in Kalahandi district, Orissa.
Plan is to build a road and a coveyor belt to
acess the bauxite mines Download the pdf
11th December, 2007 660.749 ha grabbed to mine for more Bauxite Download the pdf
Vedanta wins Environmental Award
On 13th June, Vedanta will be awarded the Golden peacock, an award instituted by the World Environment Foundation (WEF) in the year 1991.
The jury headed by Justice P N Bhagwati, former Chief Justice of India and member of UN Human Rights Commission chose Vedanta, for setting high standards of environment management.
These high standards are a result of Vedanta’s claims of running a zero discharge refinery and a recently obtained ISO 14001 certification, an internationally accepted standard for effective environment management system.
The jury seems to have missed the dumping of fly ash by Vedanta in the Vansadhara River. It has also overlooked the sudden spurt in skin infections among the locals.
Activists are up in arms
Protests and agitations are underway at the convention site in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh - where the awards will be given – against the corporate-state-judiciary nexus that underlies the Vedanta-Niyamgiri saga.
Activists are calling this the biggest environmental joke. WEF, the organization that is giving the award proudly proclaims Vedanta as a major sponsor, on its website.
Activists are collecting comments and preparing a letter asking the jury of the Golden Peacock to condemn the award and withdraw their decision. Letters have been dispatched to the Chief Minister, Forest Minister and Governor of Himachal Pradesh, urging them not to attend the award ceremony.
In south, activists in Salem are planning to present a ‘Ravaged Peacock’ award to officials from Vedanta. The company has been mining illegally for the past 12 years in Kolli hills in Tamil Nadu.
An open invitation has been declared. All with time to spare can join the dissidents in their protest against this mockery of ecology and human rights.
