Vedanta makes fresh application for refinery expansion- Reports

Vedanta Resources is reported to have made a fresh application to the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) for expansion of the company's Lanjigarh refinery project in Orissa. It is learnt that a new application drafted by the London-based company addresses the concerns raised earlier by the MoEF.
 
The MoEF, last year had come out strongly against the company's planned expansion of its aluminium refinery and had denied it permission to mine bauxite at Niyamgiri in Orissa. The company's bid to buy Cairn's Indian venture is also in limbo awaiting government approval.

Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal yesterday, at a meeting with environment minister Jairam Ramesh sought the ministry's clearance for Vedanta Alumina Limited's (VAL) Stage-II bauxite mining project in Orissa.

According to sources in the ministry, the Vedanta chief requested that the rejection by the ministry of Stage-II bauxite mining in Niyamgiri Hills for Lanjigarh refinery be reconsidered.

The minister, pointing out that the case filed by VAL challenging the centre's decision was before the Orissa High Court asked Aggarwal to ''make a fresh application'' before the ministry, sources said.

The case will be heard by the Orissa High Court on 2 February.

The Orissa High Court, in a recent direction to the environment ministry, asked it to justify its stand on denying permission to Vedanta's expansion plan and to file its reply before the month-end.