South Korean steelmaker POSCO’s wait just got longer with the Union environment ministry directing Orissa government to stop all work at the project site, including land acquisition. The decision was taken after the N C Saxena-Devendra Pandey committee, appointed by the Centre, reported violations of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) at the POSCO site. For its part, the state government has said that it will take “corrective and accurate steps”...

Union Ministry of Environment and Forests is investigating alleged violation of forest laws by Vedanta Co and Korean steel maker POSCO in Orissa, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday. Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said a four-member expert group is currently in Orissa looking at all cases of alleged violation by Vedanta Co. An iron ore mining project may comprise both forest and...

While regretting the effectiveness of the regulatory system, Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Environment and Forests, told the Rajya Sabha on Monday that corporate majors Vedanta and POSCO were being investigated for alleged violation of government guidelines. Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, Mr. Ramesh said a four-member Expert Group, which is currently in Orissa, was looking into all cases of violations. “Once I get the report of this group, we...

A day after initiating land acquisition process for POSCO-India’s mega steel plant project near Paradip, the Orissa government on Wednesday said 470 families could face displacement due to the mega plant. “The Rehabilitation and Periphery Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) had already finalised a compensation package for the affected families,” Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suryanarayan Patra informed the State Assembly. The steel major required 4,004 acres for the Rs. 51,000 crore project...

The Centre on Wednesday constituted a four-member committee to ascertain the status of implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 and other rehabilitation measures taken before granting final approval for diversion of forest land for the establishment of the Integrated Steel Plant and Captive Port by POSCO-India at Jagatsinghpur district in Orissa. This follows complaints from the local people regarding violation of the...