CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Monday disposed of the PIL seeking intervention against grant of environment clearance (EC) for the Maliparvat bauxite mining lease to Hindalco Industries Limited, for which Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) submitted report on fresh public hearing on it.
The division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice M S Raman said, “Since the primary concern expressed in the writ petition was about fairness of the public hearing that had been earlier conducted and since that grievance no longer survives the court does not consider it necessary to keep the present petition pending.”
Earlier on February 8, 2022, the court had issued an interim order imposing restriction on grant on EC after four residents of Maliguda, Kankadaambo and Kakriguda villages in Koraput district along with noted environmental activist Prafulla Samantra filed a PIL.
The writ petition sought the court’s intervention against grant of EC alleging that the villagers of the area were prevented from participating in the public hearing conducted by the OSPCB for the bauxite project on November 22, 2021. While vacating the interim order the bench said,
“As regards all events that take place hereafter it will obviously be open to the parties to seek appropriate remedies in accordance with law.” In its report by way of affidavit OSPCB had stated that public hearing was held afresh on January 7, 2022 and all 2,665 representations received were sent to the MoEF on January 13. Appearing for the petitioners, advocate Prasanta Kumar Jena raised objection over OSPCB’s report stating that it does not reflect exactly the views of the petitioners.