The stand-off over Posco’s project in Orissa continued as a government panel remained divided over the go-ahead for the project. This has come ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit to South Korea in early November.At Rs. 51,000 crore, Posco’s plan to set up an integrated steel plant in Orissa is single biggest foreign investment proposal in India. The Korean firm wants to mine iron ore, build a steel plant and a port in Orissa but the proposed project has been stuck for five years.
A four-member team set up by the Environment Ministry submitted two differing reports about the project today. The chairperson of the panel, Meena Gupta, has asked for environmental impact assessments and comprehensive look at concerns but recommended the project to go ahead.
Other three members of the panel in their report have also also asked for environmental impact assessments and a relook but said that the coastal regulation zone and environment clearance be cancelled. The forest advisory committee of the environment ministry will meet and look at both reports on 25 October.
Now, the key government agencies to would take a call on 26 October of this month before the Prime Minister’s visit to Seoul next month as he would be seeking more investment from that country.
The report also assumes significance as the environment ministry had in August shot down a proposal by Vedanta to mine in Niyamgiri Hills, also in Orissa.
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