The Rs 51,000-crore Posco steel project in Orissa, that has been delayed for five years, faces the prospect of getting delayed further. The ministry of tribal affairs is now looking at the possibility of whether the South Korean steel project, which also represents the largest foreign direct investment (FDI) in India so far, has actually encroached into the land owned by tribals. The Union ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) has...

Both Posco and the Orissa government said there were no tribals on the land for Posco’s 12 mn tonne steel plant. The presence of 21 tribals in the voters list has hit their credibility and probably the plant as well A 4-member environment ministry committee has recommended that the environmental clearances given to Posco be revoked for the violation of existing laws, for serious lapses and suppression of facts. As always,...

The Forest Advisory Committee of the Union environment and forests decided on Monday to not lift the temporary stay order on the forest clearance for Posco's Integrated Steel Project at Orissa. This would imply continued stay on all activities at the Posco site. After a lengthy hearing with the state government officials present, the FAC decided to refer the possible violations of the Forest Rights Act to the Union ministry of...

The Forest Advisory Committee of the Union environment and forests decided on Monday to not lift the temporary stay order on the forest clearance for Posco's Integrated Steel Project at Orissa. This would imply continued stay on all activities at the Posco site. After a lengthy hearing with the state government officials present, the FAC decided to refer the possible violations of the Forest Rights Act to the Union ministry of...

The 3-1 conclusion of the POSCO panel that all clearances to the Rs 50,000-crore project be scrapped should haven’t come as a surprise to at least one person: Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh. The panel’s report now wends its way through the Ministry’s official expert committees. For, Ramesh had handpicked these members and each of the three who opposed the project has, in the past, taken clearly stated positions on infrastructure projects,...