If Vedanta in Orissa, Why not JSW & ANRAK in AP?

 

 Forest Clearance Rejection for Bauxite Mining of Vedanta

 

 With the blanket of corruption between Politics, Industry, Bureaucracy and the Technocrats too tightly woven, the environmental damage and crimes, often damage the community considerably, more seriously than the criminal offences of the conventional kind. Yet there is no agency to stop them or to take action against this reprehensible conduct, in spite of all the Acts and Rules.

 

Under these circumstances, the rejection of Forest Clearance to Bauxite Mining project of Vedanta in the Niyamgiri Hills of Orissa, on the grounds that it will deprive the Tribals of their rights over the proposed mining site, in order to benefit a private company, in violation of Forest Rights Act 2006, is the most Welcome & Bold Green decision, in the recent times, for which Sri.Jairam Ramesh, MOS,E&F, GOI , richly deserves to be complimented

 

Why Not Bauxite Mining Projects in Visakhapatnam district of AP?

 

 The Bauxite Mining projects of JSW at Araku and ANRACK at Chintapalle in Visakhapatnam district are in Reserve Forest and Scheduled Tribal Areas, with adverse impacts on livelihoods of the Tribals, Water Sources, Eastern Ghats & their Bio-Diversity and are in violation of Forest Rights Act 2006.

 

The only difference is that JSW belongs to one Loksabha Member (MP) of the Congress Party and ANRAK had the backing of Late Former Chief Minister of AP State.  

 

The decision of the Ministry of Mines and the Ministry of E&F,  not  to permit the Bauxite Mining in Visakhapatnam district by AP Mineral Development Corporation, which is a front outfit (Benami) for the operations of JSW and ANRAK, till concerns of Environment and Tribal livelihood are addressed, is most welcome.

 

  The Forest Clearance for JSW and ANRAK Bauxite Mining Projects be rejected outright, unless the process of recognition of "Rights" is complete and satisfactory, in accordance with "Saxena " Committee Report, making Environmental Clearances already granted for the mining projects inoperable.