Environment Panel Clears Posco Plant Of Ecology Threat
Author:
First published in Sanctuary Asia,
Vol. 31
No. 1,
January 2011
The panel said its recommendation was for initial capacity of 4 million tonnes per annum (mtpa), adding other studies were needed before approving expansion to 12 mtpa.
The report needs to be approved by environment minister Jairam Ramesh, who has promised a decision by end-January.
Posco, the world's third-ranked steelmaker, in 2005 signed the agreement for the Orissa mill - billed as India's biggest foreign direct investment project. It was scheduled to begin production by end-2011.
The environment ministry in August asked Posco to halt work at the project, including land acquisition, while a panel looked into whether forest laws were being violated. Last month, the forest panel recommended the temporary withdrawal of permits. Read the full report here.
Source: Livemint.com, New Delhi.
