Bhubaneswar | Sept 18, 2016: Baphlimali Hill Located in Rayagada and Kalahandi District is reservoir of Bauxite Ore and granted lease in favour of Utkal Alumina International Limited(UAIL). The mining lease is of 1388hactres including 233 hectares of forest land. Both the Mining and Refinery unit of UAIL is operating since 2013. The environmental clearance for mining for a capacity of 8.5 million ton per annum was granted on 19th February 2009 and same has been obtained by supressing the fact that forest land is involved in the project
In this regard a local activist of Laxmipur area in Koraput District Sanjit Kumar Turuk along with eminent environmental activist Prafulla Samantara have approached National Green Tribunal through their Counsel Sankar Prasad Pani. Secretary Forest and Environment, Govt of Odisha, Secretary Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Odisha, district Magistrate Rayagada, Divisonal Forest Officer, Rayagada, Odisha State Pollution Control Board and Utkal Alumina International Limited have been arrayed as respondents in the case. While admitting the matter, Eastern Zone of NGT consisting of Justice SP wangidi and Prof PK Mishra issued notice to all respondents on 15th September 2016.
Further they have directed the Principal Chief Conservator Forests Odisha to inspect the site and if the allegations in the petitions are correct, then take action against the company and file action taken report by 20th October 2016, the next date hearing.
Appearing for the petitioners, Advocate Sankar Prasad Pani argued that the private respondent has applied for clearance in 2015 which is pending for site inspection by central government. As on today the project has not been granted even stage-1 clearance which will be followed by settlement of Forest Rights, Deposit of Net Present Value, identification of land for compensatory afforestation and compliance of conditions in Stage -1 clearance, In the present case nothing has taken place but the Mining Operation is ongoing since 2013 without any Forest Clearance as required under Section 2 of Forest Conservation Act 1980 and the same is mandatory for commencement of mining if the project involves any forest land.
The petitioners have prayed to immediately stop operation of mining, suspend the environment clearance and impose heavy penalty for violating the forest laws.
(Source: http://www.orissadiary.com/)