Green panel defers decision on Posco's Orissa steel project

The decision on the Rs 54,000-crore Posco project in Orissa has been delayed further with the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) seeking additional information on the impact of the company’s proposed captive port at Jatadhari Muhan in Jagatsinghpur district.

The next meeting of the EAC is likely to be held in January 2011.

“Today, there were discussions on some technical points of the Posco project. The expert panel of the MoEF is meticulously scrutinizing the comprehensive EIA submitted by Posco. The committee has also sought additional information on the proposed port project, including the technology to be used and the impact of the port on the environment,” an official source told Business Standard.

“The panel wants to assess the combined impact of Posco India’s steel plant, captive port project and township project on the environment. Posco India has clarified that its steel plant and township does not fall under the CRZ area,” he added.

MoEF had issued an environment and Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) clearance for the captive port project in May 2007.

During the previous EAC meeting on November 22, the Orissa government reiterated its stand on issues related to environment and CRZ clearance for the project.

An earlier inquiry report into the matter had concluded, by majority view, that there were serious lapses and illegalities in the environmental impact study.