Taking note of the industrialisation boom and Orissa’s fast-paced economic growth, the UK has begun to explore trade and investment opportunities in the State. It has identified sectors like metals and minerals, mining, advanced engineering, infrastructure and education as key areas for business cooperation. A high-power delegation led by British Deputy High Commissioner Sanjay Wadvani made a two-day visit to examine the scope for furthering business and investment ties.
Mining in Orissa has been associated with allegations of violence, human rights abuses, intimidation, environmental destruction and violation of Indigenous Peoples’ rights. Encouraging coal mining runs counter to UK Government policies on climate change. The Deputy High Commissioner is reported in this article as saying that the UK will help look for ‘low carbon’ solutions in coal mining. It is difficult to imagine how mining coal – which is nearly pure carbon – can be ‘low carbon’.
See http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=UK+evinces+interest+in+mining,+minerals+of+State&artid=SBvqc33y8NY=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO=