1. Synthesis of the main facts
The Vedanta Case concerns a proposal to develop an open cast bauxite mine on the upper reaches of the Niyamgiri hills in Orissa, India. According to the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), the project would have a huge impact on the environment and the livelihood of the local communities, destroying an important wild life habitat, and threatening the traditional way of life of the Dongria Kondh tribe’s communities, for whom these mountains are sacred.
Vedanta Resources is a UK registered mining company, operating directly or through subsidiaries in India, Zambia and Australia. There are two main subsidiaries: Sterlite Industries India Limited (SIIL), based in Mumbai Maharashtra, and of which Vedanta owns 59.9%; and Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL), based in Lanjigarh (Orissa), with 70.5% owned directly by Vedanta, and 29.5% owned by SIIL. Because it is the majority shareholder, Vedanta Resources’ responsibility in this conflict has never been questioned.
Click here for the factsheet (8 pages): FS_046_Vedanta Case
