Protests at Vedanta site after 5000 contract workers sacked

Bhopal: Days after the environment ministry cancelled its clearance to the Vedanta mining project in Orissa and put its refinery on notice, workers are protesting at the plant site in Lanjigarh.

More than 5000 workers were suddenly retrenched on Tuesday by Larsen & Turbo, the contractor for carrying out Vedanta's construction work.

After protests by the local tribal groups, the Environment Ministry had stepped in to keep Vedanta, a company promoted by Anil Agarwal, from developing its plans to mine in Orissa's Niymagiri Hills. There are huge reserves of bauxite buried in the hills.