Government committee gives divided opinion on Posco

Uncertainty continued over Posco's Orissa steel plant project today with a government committee to assess violation of forest laws giving a divided opinion -- one suggesting cancellation of all green clearances while the other calling for in-depth environmental assessment.

Both the reports submitted by the committee, however, agreed that provisions under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) need to be re-looked at by the Orissa government on the $12-billion plant.

The four-member committee comprising Meena Gupta, Urmila Pingle, Devendra Pandey and V Suresh submitted two different reports on Posco's proposal to set up an integrated steel plant and a captive port in Orissa.

While Pingle, Pandey and Suresh submitted a joint report, Gupta gave a separate one.

Environment minister Jairam Ramesh said the Forest Advisory Committee would meet on October 25 to examine both the reports and give its recommendations.

Simultaneously, the Coastal regulatory Zone and Environment clearances division of the ministry would examine the reports and make suggestions.

"I have not taken any view on the matter and will wait for the findings of the committee," Ramesh told reporters in New Delhi.

The reports said that the Orissa government must initiate implementation of the FRA afresh in the project area in a transparent and democratic way and ensure setting of individual and community rights as per the provisions of the Forest Rights Act and Rules made there in.

The committee felt that the final forest clearance of the ministry of environment and forests has overlooked serious violations of their own directions and the procedures prescribed by law.

The report submitted by the three members further felt that the ministry should not have granted environment clearances on the basis of rapid EIA for port which was based on one season data.

Contending that there have been many serious lapses and illegalities in the EIA process, the report said that the Environmental Clearance given by the MoEF for minor port and for the steel plant should be immediately revoked.

It felt that POSCO-India Pvt Ltd has not been able to address all the issues relating to CRZ notification. There are a number of serious lapses and violations, including suppression of facts. The environment clearance given should therefore be revoked forthwith.

However, Gupta differed on this, saying that the existing environment and CRZ clearances should continue and Posco should be asked to carry out a comprehensive and integrated environment impact assessment which has not been done so far.

The panel had been set up July 28 to look into whether the project will violate the rights of local tribes who live on the 1,235 acres of forest land that is likely to be cleared for the $12-billion steel plant to be built, as well as adherence to other environmental regulations.