The move by the Orissa State Government in India to waive Rs 9 crore penalty on Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL) for withdrawal of water from Bheden river and Hirakud reservoir came in for sharp criticism from the Opposition in the Assembly on Saturday. Raising the issue during zero hour, Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh said when farmers are not getting water for cultivation, the Government is protecting the interests of the big industries by allowing them to draw water from Hirakud reservoir.
See http://expressbuzz.com/states/orissa/why-waive-rs-9-crore-penalty-on-vedanta/344648.html.
See also Water tax waiver issue rocks Assembly at http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/28643-water-tax-waiver-issue-rocks-assembly.html and Water Lootera Vedanta gets undue favour from Water Bureaucracy at http://climatecrusaders.blogspot.com/2011/12/water-lootera-vedanta-gets-undue-favour.html.
(One crore = ten million. Nine crore rupees is equivalent to over £1,080,000 sterling.)