Notice to Environment Ministry on Sterlite Niyamgiri mining case

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) on the plea of state-run Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) challenging its decision to revoke the environmental clearance to UK-based Vedanta's Indian arm Sterlite Industries for bauxite mining in Niyamgiri hills in the state.

A bench comprising justices RV Raveendran and Gyan Sudha Misra on Monday sought response of the MoEF within one week after hearing the arguments OMC's counsel. "Counter affidavit of the Ministry of Environment & Forests to be filed within one week," the bench said in its brief order.

Senior counsel KK Venugopal on behalf of OMC picked holes in the decision of the MoEF withdrawing the environmental clearance given for the project.

Venugopal said the then environment minister Jairam Ramesh revoked the clearance just one day before demitting his office, despite the fact that matter was sub-judice.