Final decision on Posco by January end, says Jairam Ramesh
By IANSWednesday, December 29, 2010
NEW DELHI - Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh Wednesday said that a final decision on South Korean steel major Posco’s violations of the green laws for its $12 billion project in Orissa will be taken by January end next year.
“We have received all the information on Posco and by the end of January we will have complete clarity on the future of this project,” Ramesh told reporters here.
The environment ministry has put on hold the propsoed Posco project, citing violations of environment and forest laws by the company.
Posco requires about 4,004 acres, mostly government land, for its project. Of the land earmarked, 2,900 acres is forest land.
Ramesh said that Posco is an integrated steel, mining and port project and the ministry will bring finality on all the three segments.
Thousands of villagers have been opposing the project, saying it will displace them from their homelands and ruin their betel leaf farms.
Posco and the state government, however, maintain the project will bring prosperity and employment to the impoverished region.
