"The process for environmental clearance has to be started de novo," said an affidavit filed by the Union ministry of environment and forests in the Orissa high court in response to a writ petition by Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL) challenging the stalling order. VAL in August 2007 had applied for expansion of its Lanjigarh-based existing refinery capacity…But pending environmental clearance from the ministry, the company went ahead with construction work…Exercising powers under Environment (Protection) Act 1986 and Rules thereof, the environment ministry in October last year had ordered the company to maintain status quo at the plant site and also withdrew the terms of reference (ToR) issued to the company in March 2009 for expansion…Adjourning the hearing of the case, the division bench of Chief Justice V Gopala Gowda and Justice BN Mohapatra posted the matter to be heard again on February 21.