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Vedanta ran covert lobbying campaign to weaken environmental laws: OCCRP

The not-for-profit organisation said the Indian government approved the changes without public consultation and implemented them using "illegal methods"

Representative image of Vedanta (Photo: National Herald Archives)
Representative image of Vedanta (Photo: National Herald Archives) National Herald Archives

Mining and oil giant Vedanta ran a covert lobbying campaign to weaken key environmental regulations during the pandemic, OCCRP alleged in a new report.

The not-for-profit organisation said the Indian government approved the changes without public consultation and implemented them using "illegal methods".

Vedanta spokesperson did not immediately offer any comments.

Published: 01 Sep 2023, 11:23 AM IST

"In one case, Vedanta led a push to ensure mining companies could produce up to 50 per cent more without new environmental approvals," it said.

Vedanta's oil business, Cairn India, also successfully lobbied to have public hearings scrapped for exploratory drilling in oil blocks it won in government auctions. Since then, six of Cairn's controversial oil projects in Rajasthan have been approved despite local opposition, it claimed.

Published: 01 Sep 2023, 11:23 AM IST

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Published: 01 Sep 2023, 11:23 AM IST