August 27, 2010 12:45 PM

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Four-member fact-finding committee visiting POSCO project site in Orissa

The four-member fact-finding committee headed by former Union Environment and Forests Secretary Meena Gupta is visiting today the proposed project site of steel major POSCO at Jagatsinghpur district in Orissa. The Committee will probe into allegations of violations of Forests Rights Act, FRA.The team, set up by Union Ministry of Environment and Forests is visiting Dhinkia, Gobindpur and Patna village today and will go Gadakujanga, Noliasahi and Nuagaon on Saturday to ascertain if the South Korean steel major and Orissa Government have violated FRA for the 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 beetle leaves on the land earmarked for the project. Following this, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has asked POSCO to stop work on the proposed site including acquisition of land.Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had met Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh earlier this week in New Delhi urging early clearance of the POSCO project.

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