By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: The Collectorate, Rayagada has written to Additional Chief Environmental Engineer, State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), Odisha informing regarding deferment of a public hearing for an environmental clearance process.
This is a formal administrative letter issued by the District Collector of Rayagada, dealing with a mining project’s environmental regulatory procedure.
The Collector cited Deferment of Public Hearing for Environmental Clearance (EC) proposed by Adani Group run M/s Kalinga Alumina Ltd. for the Kutrumali Bauxite Block.
The public hearing that was scheduled for 13.05.2025 has been deferred to a future date. The new date will be intimated later. The letter explicitly states this deferment is being done with reference to previous correspondence.
Project Details: Mining of bauxite.
Location: Village Lelingipadar, Mandibisi R.I. Circle, Kashipur Tahasil, Rayagada District, Odisha.
The Collector has marked copies to multiple stakeholders for information and necessary action: Memo 1100/2026: Secretary, Steel & Mines Department, Govt. of Odisha.
Memo 1101/2026: Director, Env-cum-Special Secretary, Dept. of Forest, Environment & Climate Change, Govt. of Odisha.
Memo 1102/2026: Vice President (Projects), M/s Kalinga Alumina Ltd., Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Memo 1103/2026: Superintendent of Police, Rayagada. Memo 1104/2026: Regional Officer, SPCB, Rayagada.
This wide circulation indicates the project is of significant administrative and law-and-order importance.
Public hearings are a mandatory step under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006 (as amended) before granting Environmental Clearance for Category A or B mining projects.
Deferring the public hearing is a common administrative action when there are local concerns, logistical issues, political sensitivities, or law-and-order problems.
The original hearing date (13 May 2025) had already passed by the time this letter was issued (April 2026), suggesting previous postponements or complications.
Rayagada district (especially Kashipur area) has a history of strong local/tribal resistance to bauxite mining projects due to concerns over displacement, environment, and livelihood.
Involvement of the Superintendent of Police in the distribution list often signals potential law-and-order issues or protests.
Kalinga Alumina Ltd. is likely linked to major industrial houses (earlier projects in the region were associated with companies like Vedanta or similar alumina refining plans).
Bauxite mining in Odisha’s Eastern Ghats is environmentally sensitive (biodiversity, water sources, tribal lands).
The public hearing stands deferred indefinitely.No new date has been announced in this letter.All concerned departments (Mines, Environment, Pollution Control, Police, and the company) have been informed.
This letter formally postpones the crucial public hearing stage for the Kutrumali Bauxite mining project by Kalinga Alumina Ltd. in Rayagada district. It reflects ongoing regulatory and possibly socio-political complexities surrounding the project. The next key development will be the announcement of a fresh date for the public hearing.
