A British company’s long-running battle to mine bauxite in the Niyamgiri Hills has become a test case for India.
Vedanta Resources’ fight in mineral-rich Orissa state faced a setback in September when the Supreme Court ordered a comprehensive government report on the impact of large-scale mining on tribal people, wildlife and the environment.
Vedanta has a US$900 million alumina refinery in the state, part of a project that also includes a smelter and a mine to obtain bauxite buried under 672 hectares (1,660 acres) of forest.
