HC dismisses Vedanta expansion petition

Bhubaneshwar: In a major setback for Vedanta Aluminium Ltd, the Orissa High Court has rejected the company`s plea for a six-fold expansion its refinery in Lanjigarh in the state.

Vedanta Aluminium Ltd had moved the High Court challenging the Centre`s stalling of its refinery expansion plan. Vedanta was in the process of expanding the capacity of its 1 million tonne per year alumina refinery at Lanjigarh to 6 million tonnes per year when the Ministry of Environment and Forests stopped the expansion.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests has charging the company with continuing the project without environmental permits.

Vedanta has set up its facilities at at Lanjigarh, in Kalahandi district about 450 kms from Orissa`s capital Bhubaneswar to mine bauxite in Niyamgiri hills.