An eight member multidisciplinary panel of the Indian People’s Tribunal headed by Justice S. N. Bhargava (Former Chief Justice Sikkim High Court) enquired into alleged human rights and environment violations created by a bauxite-mining project proposed by Utkal Aluminum International, Ltd. (UAIL) [joint venture Hindalco (part of Aditya Birla) and Alcan] in...Orissa...The Panel investigated specifically into opposition by the local people, the majority of whom are Scheduled tribes and found that their voices are being met by repressive measures in the form of large scale arrests, disruption of public meetings by force, violent beatings to disperse gatherings, official encouragement to the employment of private goons by UAIL, midnight raids by the police, unmitigated violence on women and children...The Panel is convinced that the bauxite-mining project proposed by UAIL will [also] have adverse environmental and health effects...The Panel members [also]...conducted spot visits to Lanjigarh where Vedanta is operating to understand the impact that such a project could have.[Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Hindalco (Aditya Birla) to respond to the allegations. Hindalco declined to respond]