Env Min gives conditional clearance to POSCO

Jan 31, 2011 07:20 PM IST India India Share

New Delhi: The Environment Ministry has given a conditional green signal to South Korean steel giant Posco’s project to build a captive port and steel plant in Orissa.



The go-ahead by the ministry is based on 50 additional conditions, the prominent conditions being: No construction in high erosion zone, No industrial activity in Coastal Zone Regulation area and total green area within the plant will be 25 per cent.



Posco has been unable to build its captive port and steel plant in Orissa for 5 years - But today the Environment Ministry has given the go ahead based on 50 additional conditions.



Almost 50 per cent of the project area that is nearly 1200 hectares still requires forest clearance which the ministry has stipulated will be granted only after an assurance from state government that there is no violation of Rorest Rights Act.



In the meantime, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is relieved by the decision. “We will study those conditions and see what can be done. On the face of it, it seems to be good news,” said Patnaik.



Environmentalists however are still skeptical that the locations close to breeding sites of the endangered Olive Ridley turtle and water released from the steel plant could affect marine ecology and the livelihood of thousands of local fishermen.



“This is one of the few cases perhaps where there has been severe opposition from local people. Over 1200 hectares of prime forest will be cleared for a project of this nature and yet they’ve concluded that ecological and sociological impacts won’t be much.



While the project may have been given a green clearance, the real challenge lies in winning the hearts and minds of the local people, who for five years have been agitating against the project. It also remains to be seen how the environment ministry will ensure compliance with the conditions imposed by them.

