Govt nod to Posco project 'glaring violation of law': CPI

CPI today termed Environment Ministry's clearance to Posco's steel project in Orissa as a "glaring violation of law and justice" and a move that "legitimises land grabbing."

"The government enacts laws and frames policies that it claims will benefit the people, and then goes on to tear them to shreds in order to favour multinationals," CPI National Secretary D Raja said in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh while referring to the ministry's nod to the South Korean major's project.

Expressing shock over the decision in favour of the $12 billion project, the CPI MP said, "Much is being made of the imposition of 60 conditions, but this does not change the fact that neither the environment clearance nor the forest clearance for this project is in accordance with law."

He said "the rhetoric" of Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh "soars ever higher even as his actions stoop ever lower."

"Is it any surprise that more and more people, and many adivasis and forest dwellers of this country in particular, have reached the conclusion that the government today is nothing but one working for the corporates," Raja asked.

People in the project area have a claim over the land and it cannot be handed over to the project, he said, adding that the ministry's go-ahead to it "legitimises land grabbing."

Referring to the findings of various committees set up by the government that there are traditional forest dwellers and forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes in the project area, Raja said, January 31, 2011-- the day green clearance was given to the project-- will go down as a watershed moment in the history of the country's natural resources.

"It marks a glaring example of how UPA-II has forgotten that it was elected to power by the people and swore to serve the Constitution and the laws of the land. Today it brazenly seeks to pander to the interests of other countries and multinational companies," Raja said.

"This is a dire and dangerous trend that must be stopped at any cost," he added.