Elation after mining firm loses UK award
Vedanta was due to receive prize at a gala dinner on Friday
- Ajay Kumar Singh, Bhubaneswar
- India
- May 16, 2012
Human rights activists in an eastern Indian state welcomed the announcement Tuesday of the British Safety Council's (BSC) decision to withhold a prestigious award to a transnational mining group.
The charity organization that deals with global health, safety and environmental issues yesterday said it was suspending a "distinction" award to Vedanta Aluminum Limited in view of pollution allegations from activists and the firm’s failure to disclose the death of a worker in April at its refinery at Lanjigarh in Orissa state.
A BSC press release called for a proper investigation into the allegations.
The council was to present the award at a gala dinner on Friday in London.
Welcoming the BSC decision, Prafula Samantara, convener of the National Alliances of Peoples’ Movements, wondered how a firm that he alleged was looting natural resources and tribal people could be chosen for the award and invited to an event billed as the Oscars of health and safety measures.
“It makes a mockery of safety measures,” he said.
Sandeep Pattnaik, who coordinates the National Centre for Advocacy Studies in Orissa, alleged tribal and dalit (former untouchable) groups face harassment and arrests for protesting pollution and an ash pond near their villages.
The Orissa Pollution Control Board has noted that the pond has caused tuberculosis and skin diseases among people living nearby, Pattnaik said.
He said the award would have validated the crimes committed by the mining group and regretted that the state government remained a mute witness to it all.
“This shows that life in India is cheap,” he said and demanded stringent action against the Vedanta group for hiding facts from the BSC.
Another activist Dhirendra Panda says the BSC decision would boost the morale of those protesting the refinery and highlight the need for stringent safety measures.
“We need to appreciate the suspension of the award as a corrective measure,” he said.
Two years ago, BSC denied a safety award to another subsidiary of the multinational Vedanta Resources mining group,after the media reported that at least 40 workers in neighboring Chhattisgarh state were killed when a chimney collapsed.
Vedanta spokespeople were not available for comment.
Related reports:
Activists praise rethink over Orissa steel plant
Tribal people protest Orissa steel giants
The charity organization that deals with global health, safety and environmental issues yesterday said it was suspending a "distinction" award to Vedanta Aluminum Limited in view of pollution allegations from activists and the firm’s failure to disclose the death of a worker in April at its refinery at Lanjigarh in Orissa state.
A BSC press release called for a proper investigation into the allegations.
The council was to present the award at a gala dinner on Friday in London.
Welcoming the BSC decision, Prafula Samantara, convener of the National Alliances of Peoples’ Movements, wondered how a firm that he alleged was looting natural resources and tribal people could be chosen for the award and invited to an event billed as the Oscars of health and safety measures.
“It makes a mockery of safety measures,” he said.
Sandeep Pattnaik, who coordinates the National Centre for Advocacy Studies in Orissa, alleged tribal and dalit (former untouchable) groups face harassment and arrests for protesting pollution and an ash pond near their villages.
The Orissa Pollution Control Board has noted that the pond has caused tuberculosis and skin diseases among people living nearby, Pattnaik said.
He said the award would have validated the crimes committed by the mining group and regretted that the state government remained a mute witness to it all.
“This shows that life in India is cheap,” he said and demanded stringent action against the Vedanta group for hiding facts from the BSC.
Another activist Dhirendra Panda says the BSC decision would boost the morale of those protesting the refinery and highlight the need for stringent safety measures.
“We need to appreciate the suspension of the award as a corrective measure,” he said.
Two years ago, BSC denied a safety award to another subsidiary of the multinational Vedanta Resources mining group,after the media reported that at least 40 workers in neighboring Chhattisgarh state were killed when a chimney collapsed.
Vedanta spokespeople were not available for comment.
Related reports:
Activists praise rethink over Orissa steel plant
Tribal people protest Orissa steel giants
