Patnaik says Govt will look into Vedanta issue

Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday sought to react cautiously to the Union Environment Ministry's decision to put on hold the controversial Vedanta University project in Orissa, saying his government will look into the matter when asked to comment on the environment ministry's move.

Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday sought to react cautiously to the Union Environment Ministry's decision to put on hold the controversial Vedanta University project in Orissa, saying his government will look into the matter when asked to comment on the environment ministry's move.

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The ministry had on Tuesday put on hold the Rs 150 billion project following complaints of alleged irregularities by its promoter Anil Agarwal Foundation.

The direction to keep the project in abeyance came within a month of the Ministry granting conditional environmental clearance to the foundation which is building the university.

The multi-disciplinary Vedanta University is proposed to come up along Orissa's Puri-Konark highway spread over 6,892 acres of which 4,000 acres of land will be transferred by Orissa government to the Foundation.