Revoke forest clearance to Posco project: MoEF panel

The Rs 54,000-crore Posco project in Orissa suffered a setback today with the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) panel recommending revocation of the clearance given to the company in December 2009.

The panel members, who had recently visited the Posco site to inspect the alleged violations of Forest Rights Act (FRA), have also suggested that the Orissa government should stop all work for the project, including land acquisition.

Three members of the four-member panel – Ashish Kothari, Arupjyoti Saikia and Ravi Rebbapragada – have concluded that any work related to the Posco project at the site is a violation of FRA and of the conditionality laid down by the MoEF in its forest clearance dated December 29, 2009.

It said work should stop until the required procedures under FRA are completed and a consent of the palli sabhas in the project site area is obtained. Out of the 4,004 acres required for the project, 2,958 acres are categorised as forest land.

In a letter to the Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh, the panel chairman and member of the National Advisory Council, N C Saxena has said that there are Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFD) at the project site, contrary to the claims made by the district administration.

The presence of OTFD is backed by documentary and oral evidence that include records of the old Bardhaman estate, rent receipts of families from the early 20th century and forest settlement records.

The letter also said the FRA process has not been completed. It said that it has not proceeded beyond the initial stages for various reasons and it is therefore incorrect for the district administration to conclude that there are no OTFDs in the area without having gone through the process of claims. The panel is of the view that land acquisition and demolition of betel vines being carried out by the district administration is in violation of FRA.

The committee has pulled up the district administration for not making pro- active moves to identify potential claimants and providing them documents that could help determine their eligibility.