Former Union minister and senior Congress leader Bhakta Das on Friday dubbed the London based Vedanta Alumina Limited (VAL) as a “dubious” entity and called upon the forest and environment ministry to stop “supporting” and “patronising” the company. In a letter, submitted to the Union forest and environment ministry, Mr Das said the Union forest and environment ministry has “come under the scanner for pushing Vedanta’s case.”
“The company (VAL) is notorious for manipulating decisions and influencing officials. One of its former employees has documented in a book the malicious practices of the company. The affidavit filed by your ministry in the Supreme Court raises questions in minds of the people about the access and the influence the company has in the ministry,” the former minister alleged in his letter.
Mr Das has also drawn attention of the Union ministry to the “fast” environment clearance by the Orissa State Pollution Control Board. “It gave clearance with brutal efficiency within two days of filing the application, which included a public holiday,” he said. Stating that the company had started construction of an alumina refinery without forest clearance and mining lease, Mr Das said no action had been taken against VAL in this regard.
The letter also mentions that village forests or gramya jungle have been destroyed and the reserved forest has been encroached upon by the company. “The central empowered committee (CEC) appointed by the Supreme Court strongly advised against mining in Niyamgiri hills, the source of bauxite. Besides, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) experts have submitted a report against the company’s activities,” it adds.
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