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Councillor John Hogan Expresses Concerns Over Vedanta

Councillor John Hogan (Moyne) has stated that the community of Moyne/Templetuohy are very concerned over the future of the Lisheen Mines and of the environment in the locality.

Mr Hogan stated: “I wrote to the C.E.O. of Anglo American, Ms. Cynthia Carroll, expressing the communities concerns over the terrible reputation that Vedanta Resources have in India. Amnesty International has written an in depth report on  human rights and serious environment violations carried out by Vedanta Resources. The company also had the Tuticorin Smelter in India closed by the Indian courts.  According to the Indian Judges Vedanta Resources violated the company’s operation permissions from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. In their verdict, Judges said the smelter was emitting noxious air pollution, that the plant’s effluents were hazardous and caused high levels of heavy metals, arsenic and fluorides in the groundwater and that the entire plant site was now “severely polluted”.
Another example of our fears in June 2009 a prestigious World Environmental award the “Golden Peacock” was withdrawn at the last minute after
demonstrators protested about the company’s highly polluting alumina refinery on the land of Kondh tribes in Orissa, India. Government pollution inspectors have commented on the ‘alarming’ and ‘continuous’ seepage of toxic waste from the refinery.  Kondh people living near the refinery have told Survival International that they have suffered skin problems after bathing in polluted water, that their crops are choked by dust from the refinery and that cattle have died after drinking from polluted streams.”

Councillor Hogan added: So far I have received a reply from Mr. Hennie Faul, Chief Executive Officer Zinc with Anglo American.  Mr. Faul chose not to answer any of the allegations in connection with Verdanta Resources and instead stated that the costs associated with the Mine closure and rehabilitation plan, as well as the perpetual aftercare of Lisheen Mine are fully secured.  This reply from Anglo American has added to the community fears, firstly because they sold us out to a company with issues that Anglo American are not willing to comment on.  Also Anglo American are disingenuous in claiming that perpetual aftercare costs of Lisheen are secure when as a stake holder our community has not even entered discussions on the perpetual aftercare.

Moyne/Templetuohy Community Parish Forum are meeting next Monday night to discuss and decide a future plan of action in relation to these issues.

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