Post News Network
New Delhi: The Supreme Court Friday dismissed a petition filed by Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) seeking fresh mandate of gram sabhas comprising tribals to decide mining in Niyamgiri hills.
A three-judge bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi which heard the petition directed the mining corporation to move appropriate fora against the earlier decision of gram sabha in 2013.
The village committees had earlier voted against the proposal of a joint venture of OMC and Vedanta on the ground that the hills are sacred to the tribals of the region. After the authorities failed to mine atop the hills, OMC approached the apex court for holding fresh gram sabhas of the affected tribals.
The dongria Kondhs, Kutia Kondhs and other tribals are opposed to mining of buxite in Niyamgiri hills.
Due to shortage of buxite, Vedanta has been facing difficulties in feeding its Lanjigarh alumina unit.