Monday, January 13, 2014

India saves 'sacred mountain' of the Dongria Kindh people...

A vast bauxite mine in India that would destroy the 'sacred mountain' of the Dongria Kindh people has been quashed following a local referendum that decisively rejected the $8.1 billion project.

The mining controversial project by the UK-listed mining company Vedanta Resources has been stopped by India's authorities.

The mine would have turned the a huge tract of the Niyamgiri Hills in Orissa state - which are sacred to the Dongria Kondh tribe - into a huge open pit mine.

"We rejected it after the local panchayats rejected", India's Environment Minister Veerappa Moily said in New Delhi today, referring to village governance bodies. "That’s what we’re doing for most projects".

The mine would have produced high quality bauxite, the mineral used to make aluminium - used in a wide range of domestic and industrial applications.

Vedanta had failed to seek the consent of the Dongria before embarking on the project - and even built a refinery at the bottom of the Niyamgiri Hills, which cost the company an estimated US $800 million. Full story...

Related posts:
  1. Story of a sacred mountain in India:the Dongria Kondh fight Vedanta...
  2. Indian villagers defeat British billionaire over plans to mine sacred mountain...
  3. Harassment and delaying tactics increasing after Orissa Mining court decision...
  4. Vedanta £1billion mine plan knocked back by India...
  5. How poor and courageous Indians are fighting back...
  6. Police in India kidnap Arun Ferreira, activist for Dalits and tribals...
  7. India "up for sale" to western corporate capital...

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