Bhubaneshwar, Aug. 24: Aluminum major Vedanta has denied any wrongdoing on its part after the environment ministry refused to permit bauxite mining in the Niyamgiri Hill, Orissa. The company’s stock was down over seven per cent on Tuesday on the London Stock Exchange after the adverse ruling.
The company has also said that it is the Orissa government that owns the mines at Niyamgiri, and it has to get the required clearances.
The firm has said it remains committed to staying in Orissa. Meanwhile, sources said the Orissa government, realising that it would be a difficult task to facilitate the leasing of the Niyamgiri bauxite mine in favour of Vedanta, is contemplating to recommend an “alternative” mine.
Reacting to the development, Dr Mukesh Kumar, chief operating officer, Vedanta Aluminium, denied any regulatory violations of any kind at the Lanjigarh alumina refinery by the firm. He also clarified that no mining activity would be undertaken till all approvals are in place.
Vedanta has pointed out that Orissa has the fourth largest bauxite, or aluminum ore, deposits in the world, but no new processing plants have come up in the state over the past 25 years. Vedanta has already invested around $5.4 billion in putting up a refinery at Lanjigarh.