Vedanta Aluminium smelter expansion, Odisha High Court issued stay order on the public hearing

The Indian Aluminium giant Vedanta Aluminium Ltd’s proposal to expand its aluminium smelter plant in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district saw multiple twists and turns on 29^th-30^th September’20. Notwithstanding, the final decision has been deferred until 5^th October, while Vedanta being permitted to participate in the hearing.

Initially, the Odisha High Court first issued a stay order on a notification issued by the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) for the public hearing in Jharsuguda on 29^th September.

On 30^th September, the High Court permitted the public hearing to take place by relaxing the stay, which was done via video conferencing.

In its hearing via video conferencing, the court stated that no one appeared for the state government as well as the OSPCB, probably due to want of notice.

The previous timing of the public hearing was at 11 pm September 30. But it was finally organised at 4 pm at Government UP School in the district’s Kurebaga village.

Odisha State Pollution Control had issued the notification 27^th September to hear the grievances of people who are to be affected due to the expansion of the plant. Before the modification of the stay, the Single Judge Bench of Justice KR Mohapatra had issued the interim order on a petition filed by Subrat Bhoi and Tejraj Kumura, both residents of Jharsuguda.

The petition had challenged the notification on the ground that it violated the order issued by the Special Relief Commissioner on 31^st August. The order prohibited large congregations of people of any nature. Advocate Partha Sarathi Nayak had argued the case for the petitioners.

Vedanta has proposed to expand its existing smelter plant to 1.8 million tonnes per annum, from 1.6 million tonnes per annum and its captive power plant capacity to 1,215 megawatts. The proposed expansion will come with an investment of INR1240 crore. The anticipated capital expenditure for pollution control measures is around INR55 crore.

G Pal, COO, Vedanta Ltd – Aluminium Business, said: “The proposed expansion will be within the existing aluminium smelter plant complex of about 2061.41 acres or 834.22 hectares.”

“The proposed township expansion is planned in an area of 91 acres (36.83 ha), which is already in possession of Vedanta Ltd. Hence, no additional land would be acquired.”

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