PANAJI
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has admitted two appeals challenging the Environmental Clearance (EC) granted to Vedanta Ltd for iron ore mining at Bicholim Mineral Block-I.
Activist Swapnesh Sherlekar and the Federation of Rainbow Warriors filed the appeals, alleging that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) overlooked key information in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
They argue that the project, operating for over seven decades, was wrongly classified as a “greenfield” project, allowing Vedanta to use 2023 baseline data and skew the EIA.
Sherlekar’s petition highlights that the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) ignored previous EC conditions from 2005, which indicated the mine would be exhausted in ten years and required a closure plan.
The Rainbow Warriors also criticised the EIA for disregarding the environmental damage caused by decades of mining. They claim that the project proponent, previously named Sesa Sterlite Ltd, provided misleading information, and that the Supreme Court had previously found Sesa Sterlite guilty of illegal mining operations.
Additionally, the appeals challenge Vedanta’s failure to disclose important details, such as the impact on agricultural land in Mulgao village and violations of transport restrictions. The petitions also allege the EAC ignored the role of the Mulgao Panchayat, whose lands fall within the lease area, and violated norms for public hearings.
Moreover, the Rainbow Warriors point out that no wildlife conservation plan was approved, despite the presence of 29 species protected under the Wildlife Protection Act within 10 km of the project site.
The NGT has admitted the appeals and issued notices to the respondents.
