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Violation of forest laws by Vedanta alleged

BHUBANESWAR: Alleging that Vedanta Aluminium Limited had violated forest laws and human rights in Lanjigarh area of Kalahandi district with active support from the State government, two mass organisations on Monday demanded a CBI probe into the conduct of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and alleged election funding of his party by the company.

The probe should be conducted by the CBI or a credible person of the higher judiciary to find out what exactly was preventing Mr. Patnaik from taking any action against the company, said Prafulla Samantara of Lok Shakti Abhiyan and Lingaraj of Samajvadi Jan Parishad at a press conference. They alleged that State government; administration in the districts of Kalahandi and Rayagada, and officials of the forest and revenue departments had been supporting the company's wrongful and unconstitutional activities. All the officials who had been influenced by the company to manufacture reports and statements in its support should be dismissed and taken to task, they demanded.

If Vedanta would be allowed to go scot-free despite committing various irregularities, such companies would run the State in the years to come, they observed.

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