[3][4] In 2013, the Supreme Court of India asked the tribal people to take the decision, in which BMP was rejected in all village council meetings.

[5] The issue of controversy over the VEDANTA mining lease on the upper reaches of the Niyamgiri hills in Orissa was examined by an official committee headed by Dr N C Saxena, formerly Secretary (Planning Commission).

Section 5 of the TFRA has authorized the Gram Sabhas to ensure that their habitat is preserved from any form of destructive practices affecting their cultural and natural heritage.

Despite the reluctance of the district administration and state government, several Gram Sabhas have passed resolutions claiming community and habitat rights over the VEDANTA area and forwarded the same to the SDLC, as provided in section 6(1) of TFRA.

From the evidence collected by the Committee, we conclude that the Orissa government is not likely to implement the FR Act in a fair and impartial manner as far as the VEDANTA area is concerned.

Perhaps the most blatant example of it is their act of illegally enclosing and occupying at least 26.123 ha of Village Forest Lands within its refinery depriving tribal, dalits and other rural poor of their rights.”