Ramesh to meet committee on Posco project on Aug 18

A panel appointed by the environment ministry to look into the concerns with regard to the Rs 51,000-crore, 12-MTPA steel plant project proposed by the South Korea steel major Posco in Orissa’s Jagatsinghpur district would meet Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh on August 18. The panel is expected to submit its report to Ramesh by September. The ministry has already asked the Orissa government to stop work on the project.

This was informed by Ramesh at a press conference. “I want to make it amply clear that the provisions of Forest Conservation Act and Forest Rights Act have to be strictly adhered to.”

Meanwhile, a three-member committee headed by NC Saxena of the National Advisory Council (NAC) would on Monday submit its report to Ramesh on mining of bauxite by Vedanta Aluminium at Niyamgiri hills in south Orissa’s Kalahandi district. The committee was set up to look into various issues relating to environment raised by the local people and green activists.

As far as Vedanta project, the minister said he would take a decision after he receives NC Saxena panel report on Monday. In case of Posco project, Ramesh said the future course of action would be taken once a special panel submits its report.

It must be mentioned here that there has been a strong opposition from locals and activists against Vedanta’s bauxite mining project. Saxena panel had visited the area and looked into various aspects including the alleged violation of environment norms and forest rights.

In case of Posco project, the project, however, ran into rough weather ever since signing of the MoU in June 22, 2005 as local people, who are likely to be displaced due to the project, have launched a violent agitation in the area preventing the government and Posco official entry into their area.