Odisha Mining Corp gets forest clearance to develop new bauxite mine in Kodingamali

2017-10-20

Oct. 17, 2017 - The expert appraisal committee has already recommended the amendment and "the EC is under process," says OMC Managing Director R Vineel Krishna. 

Some villagers in Kashipur and Laxmipur who had given their consent earlier, when a refinery was planned near the mine, are again opposing the project. Activists say fresh gram sabhas must be held since scope of the project has changed considerably. 

OMC argues that their interest is limited to the deposit to which it had mining rights since the nineties. "All statutory procedures have been followed, as required by the laws and authorities concerned," OMC MD Krishna told Refwin. 

The company hopes to get bauxite from new sources in the state. "Post MMDR Act 2015 amendment we believe that state and central government is working to bring blocks for auction and Odisha has the largest reserves of bauxite in the country. 

We look forward to participate in the auctions," said the company spokesperson in an emailed reply to Refwin. Minister for Mines and Steel Prafulla Kumar Mallik says bauxite when produced will be made available to the market as iron ore and chromite is under state policies, through long-term linkages and auctions. 

To exploit the bauxite scattered on plateaus of Eastern Ghats of the undivided Koraput- Bolangir- Kalahandi (KBK) district, Odisha had identified some of the larger bauxite deposits — Baphilimalli, Panchpatmali, Niyamgiri, Kodingamali - for specific refinery projects, even though sometimes mining rights rested with OMC. In 2000 it transferred the 200 million tonne Baphilimalli deposit to Hindalco, which uses it for the Utkal Alumina Refinery. 

Two joint venture companies - one controlled by Hindalco and another by Vedanta with a 76% stake each - were to develop bauxite deposits, but the state shelved the plans two years ago and OMC decided to develop the Kodingamali mine on its own. 

Laxmipur MLA, Kailash Chandra Kulesika, also a land loser, says "people waited patiently for this project for 10 years and only began harvesting the land last year. The last hearing conducted was for the road leading to the mine, which OMC decided to build through Champi gram panchayat on the other side of the hill, knowing very well we would object," says the Congress MLA.