http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/developmental-issues/Jairam-cancels-green-nod-for-Vedanta/articleshow/9192285.cms
Ramesh seals Vedanta fate, now courts to decideNitin Sethi<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/toireporter/author-Nitin-Sethi.cms>, TNN | Jul 12, 2011, 04.02am IST NEW DELHI: Sealing the fate of Vedanta's bauxite mining project<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Vedanta's-bauxite-mining-project> in Niyamgiri hills of Orissa, Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Jairam-Ramesh>cancelled the environmental clearance as well on Monday. He had rejected the forest clearance in an order in August 2010. Ramesh's decision came after TOI had reported that his ministry's project review arm, the Environment Appraisal Committee, had again recommended the project despite the minister's order stating that the environmental clearance stood 'inoperable' as the forest clearance had been rescinded. The environment ministry is slated to inform the newly set up National Green Tribunal (NGT) of this decision in the on-going case on July 21. The environment ministry accords two types of clearances – one for diversion of forest land and another, an environment clearance. But the two processes have been linked only recently. When the ministry accorded environmental clearance to Vedanta to mine the sacred hills of Dongriya Kondh in April 2009 it was challenged in the environmental appellate court. The court asked the ministry to review the case after finding discrepancies in the clearance. Sterlite, sister concern of Vedanta, filed an appeal against this order with the appellate which is now being heard by the newly formed NGT. When the case was reverted back to the ministry, the EAC reviewed the case and again gave it the thumbs up. This was quite odd because the minister in the meanwhile, while cancelling the forest clearance to the project, had also declared that the environmental clearance was inoperable. When TOI reported on the repeated recommendation of the EAC in favour of the project, Ramesh reacted to point out he held final authority in the case and he was yet to take a decision. In the meantime, the project developers filed the EAC decisions as evidence in their favour in the on-going case and the government got time till July 21 by the NGT to react. Ramesh has now moved to scotch any ambiguity. He has noted that though his earlier orders had already made the clearance inoperable, he was also now ordering the absolute cancellation of the environmental clearance to the high profile mining case. This nails any chances of the government reviewing its stance on Vedanta's mining project which had also found Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi batting for the tribals. The ball now lies in two courts where cases filed by project developers against the cancellation of clearances are being heard. The NGT will adjudicate on the environmental clearance while the Supreme Court<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Supreme-Court> will do so on the cancellation of the forest clearance. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB.
