London-based mining major Vedanta Resources on Wednesday requested the Orissa government for allotment of an alternative bauxite mines in view of the Union ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) denying it access to the Niyamgiri reserves in Kalahandi district.
The chief operating officer of Vedanta Alumina (VAL) Mukesh Kumar, met the Orissa steel & mines minister, Rathunath Mohanty, and handed over a formal proposal.
?We requested the government to allot an alternative bauxite mines in the nearby area to overcome the present crisis,” said Kumar. ?There are 6-7 mines in the vicinity of the alumina refinery at Lanjigarh for which we have filed applications,” he said, adding, the list is with the government.
Confirming that Vedanta Resources has formally approached the government for bauxite mines, the steel and mines minister Raghunath Mohanty, said, ?We will consider their proposal.? He said the Vedanta Alumina COO requested him to expedite the applications of the company for bauxite mines which are pending with the government.
Since there are multiple applications for bauxite mines in Kalahandi and Koraput, Mohanty said the government has to conduct a hearing before rejecting the applications of other claimants as per the Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation )Act.
Vedanta is the sole applicant for Siadimal mines?spread over 4.95 hectare in Rayagada district with as little as 2 million tonne reserve. It is also one of the applicants for the major Karlapat mines with about 70 million tonne reserve in the vicinity of Niyamgri.