The recommendation of environmental clearance is incumbent on the specific condition that “no mining activities shall be carried out in 709.72 hectares without obtaining stage-II forest clearance”.

The panel also laid down a specific condition that the company will have to abide by all orders and judicial pronouncements on two project-related cases, one pending in the Supreme Court and another in National Green Tribunal.

Larsen and Toubro had approached the Orissa High Court seeking directions for grant of the Sijimali bauxite block. The HC had dismissed the petition in 2023 holding that L&T had violated the terms of its prospecting licence and was not entitled to get the mining lease for the block. L&T then moved the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order, and Vedanta has been made a party in the case. In an unrelated matter, local tribal community members have appealed the in-principle forest clearance granted for an access road affiliated to the mining project.

The project will displace 129 families from the villages of Tijimali (51 families) and Malipadar (78 families) and as per official documents, land for resettlement colonies has been identified at Kurkuti and Chandgiri in the two districts.

The ministry’s forest advisory committee has already granted in-principle or Stage-I forest clearance to the company for diversion of forest land in December 2025.

Sijimali is located in Eastern Ghats. As per information provided to the EAC, 24 Schedule-I species, which are accorded highest protection under the Wildlife Protection Act, are found within a 10-km area from the mine lease. They include elephants, sloth bear, king cobra and pangolin. A site-specific Wildlife Conservation Plan, approved by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife)-cum-Chief Wildlife Warden, Odisha, on August 16, 2024, has been prepared with a total outlay of Rs 34.44 crore.

The EAC’s recommendation for environmental clearance comes even as the project is mired in protests from local Kandha and Paroja scheduled tribes communities and forest dwelling Scheduled Caste communities. They have alleged that Gram Sabha resolutions passed in relation to forest rights settlement for the project are fraudulent.

Residents of Kalahandi and Rayagada district had moved the Orissa High Court last year seeking to quash Gram Sabha resolutions dated December 8, 2023, and subsequent certificates issued by the Collector alleging that they are fraudulent and against provisions of the Forest Rights Act, 2006. The court had directed authorities to take note of the grievances regarding settlement of forest rights.

Moreover, the tribal communities have also opposed the project on grounds of loss of customary rights, forest produce and access to sacred lands atop the hill where the mining lease is situated.

Prafulla Samantara, renowned environmental and rights activist, said the hills in Sijimali are revered by the local ST communities and they are dependent on them for livelihoods. Samantara, who has been associated with the local agitation against the mine, said that the hills in the area are a source of water and locals have cultivated over several years to grow millet crops.

Opposition against the project had flared up last month over clearance to an access road that will be used for transporting bauxite reserves. The Indian Express had reported in April that violent clashes broke out between police and tribal villagers in Rayagada over the construction of this road. The access road in question needs additional forest land of 4.911 hectares. The environment ministry’s forest advisory committee has granted final forest clearance for this access road, even as tribal villagers have moved National Green Tribunal’s eastern zone bench appealing the in-principle approval that was granted to it.