HC open to public hearing on Vedanta plant expansion in Jharsuguda
Cuttack: The Orissa high court on Friday indicated that it was not averse to holding another public hearing in connection with the expansion of the production capacity of the aluminium smelter plant of Vedanta Limited in Jharsuguda.
Subrat Bhoi and Tejraj Kumura, residents of one of the villages likely to be affected by the proposed expansion of the smelter plant, had filed a petition through their counsel Partha Sarathi Nayak, seeking the HC’s intervention to ensure that the public hearing scheduled for September 30 was kept in abeyance till the Covid situations improved.
On September 29, the single-judge bench of justice K R Mohapatra issued an interim stay order on the public hearing. But on September 30, justice Mohapatra issued another order which said, “In partial modification of the order dated 29.09.2020 it is directed that the public hearing pursuant to advertisement dated 27.08.2020 issued by the State Pollution Control Board, Odisha, may continue, but no final decision shall be taken till the next date.”
Subsequently, when the matter was heard virtually on Friday, advocate Prafulla Kumar Rath, arguing on behalf of the petitioners, said only 90 people had participated in the public hearing on September 30. “This cannot be said to be a substantial representation of the villagers of five revenue villages having populations of more than 10,000. Hence, there was no effective public hearing at all,” he contended.
While disposing of the petition, justice Mohapatra said, “There is no material available before this court to test the veracity of the same. If that be so, then petitioners may make a representation to the collector, Jharsuguda, by 12.10.2020, who shall consider the same and pass necessary orders thereon in consultation with the stakeholders, if necessary, by taking steps to hold another public hearing.”
Vedanta Limited is going to expand its annual production capacity from 16 lakh metric tonnes to 18 lakh metric tonnes and Captive Power Plant (CPP) capacity to 1215 megawatt. For this purpose, land will be acquired in Brundamal, Katikela, Purna and Kurebaga.