November 20, 2008

Supreme Court delays decision on bauxite mining by Vedanta

India’s Supreme Court postponed a hearing until July 25th 2008 over whether Vedanta Resources Plc can mine bauxite in sacred hills in eastern India where tribal people strongly oppose it.

The report quoted a court official as saying that "We will hear exclusively the Vedanta matter on July 25.”

Vedanta wants to dig open cast mines in the Niyamgiri hills in Orissa state to feed an alumina refinery it has already built in the area as part of an USD 800 million project.

The Dongria Kondh tribe says the mine will destroy hills they consider sacred, force them from their homes and destroy their forest dependent livelihoods.