In Orissa, the four-member fact-finding committee headed by former Union Environment and Forests Secretary Meena Gupta met affected people of proposed POSCO project in Jagatsinghpur district today. The committee has been asked by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to probe into allegations of violations of Forests Rights Act in the proposed site by South Korean steel major POSCO and Orissa Government. Our AIR correspondent reports that the four-member Meena Gupta Committee, set up by Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, visited Dhinkia and Patna in Jagathsinghpur district of Orissa today. The committee met the local farmers and villagers and heard their grievances against the POSCO project. It also went to see some of the bettle grouses which are under the threat of being acquired for the steel project. The committee will visit Gadakujanga, Noliasahi and Nuagaon tomorrow to ascertain if the South Korean steel major and Orissa Government have violated Forest Regulation Act for the Rs 54,000 project. On the basis of Meena Gupta committee's recommendations, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests will take a final decision on giving environmental clearance to POSCO. Earlier, the NC Saxena committee had accused the Orissa Government of violating Forest Rights Act by declining to honour the claims of traditional forest dwellers depending on generation of bettle leaves on the land earmarked for the project. Following this, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has asked to stop work in the proposed site including acquisition of land. Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had met Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh a few days back at New Delhi urging early clearance of the POSCO project.