---
title: "Vedanta Aluminium Under Investigation Over Alleged Massive Water Theft in Jharsuguda"
url: https://mediathepower.com/vedanta-aluminium-under-investigation-over-alleged-massive-water-theft-in-jharsuguda/
date: 2026-10-04
modified: 2026-10-11
lang: en
author: "Rajiv Singh"
description: "Jharsuguda- The Odisha Department of Water Resources (DoWR) has initiated a sweeping investigation into M/s Vedanta Aluminium Ltd. following severe allegations of illegal river water lifting and unauthorized groundwater extraction..."
categories:
  - "State"
tags:
  - "• #VedantaWaterScam • #OdishaNews • #Jharsuguda • #CorporateAccountability • #VedantaAluminium • #WaterTheftInvestigation"
image: https://mediathepower.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ved.jpg
word_count: 385
---

# Vedanta Aluminium Under Investigation Over Alleged Massive Water Theft in Jharsuguda

**Jharsuguda- **The **Odisha Department of Water Resources (DoWR)** has initiated a sweeping investigation into **M/s Vedanta Aluminium Ltd.** following severe allegations of **illegal river water lifting** and unauthorized groundwater extraction at its **Bhurkamunda facility** in the **Jharsuguda district**. The state’s **Chief Engineer of Water Services** has issued a high-priority, **"Most Urgent" directive** demanding a comprehensive, point-wise compliance report from local irrigation divisions regarding the company's historical water drawal and tax payments.

The investigation focuses on multiple fronts of suspected environmental and financial non-compliance by the aluminum major. The state authorities are demanding strict documentation on:

- **The Construction Era:** Verification of the exact sources and total volume of water drawn during the initial plant setup, alongside copies of original demand notices.

- **Portal Discrepancies:** Clarification on temporary agreements (Form-J filings) and an explanation as to why mandatory water rate collections were **never updated online** in the state's **IWCRCM Portal**.

- **Hirakud Pipeline Assets:** Production of the officially approved layout schemes and the exact timeline under which Vedanta laid its pipelines from the **Hirakud Reservoir**.

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**Corporate Gaslighting Alleged**

The regulatory crackdown follows a formal grievance filed by **Satyanarayan Rao**, President of the **Anchalik Paribesh Surakhya Sangh**. The activist group raised an alarm that the industry was aggressively depleting local water tables by operating industrial borewells without valid **No Objection Certificates (NOC)** or digital flow meters.

As per the letter of Satyanarayan Rao after the friction escalated into a public controversy then **Ms. Mansi Chauhan**, Vedanta’s Head of Human Resources, released a statement to the press claiming a district panel had already cleared the company of wrongdoing.

Local activists swiftly retaliated with an official protest to the **District Magistrate**, calling the corporation’s statement a **"deliberate attempt to derail the inquiry process"** and pressure investigating officers before the joint committee could even file its final report. Records indicate the Odisha government had previously slapped Vedanta with a staggering **₹233 Crore demand notice** for unauthorized water usage, which the company contested as an "erroneous assessment".

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**Enforcement Measures Looming**

The **Central Ground Water Board (CGWB)** has formally intervened, reminding the **Jharsuguda District Collector** of their sweeping statutory powers under the Environment (Protection) Act. If the joint inspection panel uncovers physical evidence of unauthorized water structures, the administration is fully authorized to initiate **immediate enforcement actions, including sealing industrial borewells and disconnecting electricity lines**.