Panel to submit report on Niyamgiri mining project on Aug 20

A government-appointed panel will submit its report on August 20 on the alleged violation of forest law at the proposed bauxite mining project of Vedanta Resources in Niyamgiri hills in Orissa.

A government-appointed panel will submit its report on August 20 on the alleged violation of forest law at the proposed bauxite mining project of Vedanta Resources in Niyamgiri hills in Orissa.

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"The NC Saxena led panel will submit its report on August 20," Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh told PTI on Saturday.

However, he refused talk about the likely outcome of the report, saying it was too early to comment in the matter.

Though Saxena too refused to give details, sources said the report could adversely affect Vedanta's plant as was the case with the Korean steel giant Posco's project in Orissa, which has been accused of violating forest laws.

Based on the recommendations of Saxena panel, the Environment Ministry had recently directed the Orissa government to stop all works including acquisition of land for Posco's project in Jagathsinghpur as it violated forest rights of the locals who were being displaced from the site.

The four-member committee headed by Saxena, a member of National Advisory Council, had visited the project site in Kalahandi district to check the allegations of tribals that the company had violated the Forest Rights Act by forcible acquisition of forest land.

The committee had also visited Raygada district to hear the grievances of the people to be affected due to mining of bauxite by the company.

The Saxena Committee is also looking at whether Forest Rights Act has been properly implemented and determining the impact of the bauxite mining project on the livelihood and culture of the Dongria-Kandha tribals in the area.