Karnataka High Court today said it cannot direct the state government to reconsider its decision to shelve Posco's proposed multi-crore steel plant in Gadag district while dismissing a PIL by a group of farmers who wanted the project to be implemented.
The court was hearing a PIL filed by 117 farmers seeking its intervention to direct the state government to go ahead with setting up of the Posco plant as they were prepared to give away their land.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vikramjit Sen and B V Nagarathna directed the petitioners to make an appeal to the government to reconsider its decision.
The B S Yeddyurappa Government in July last year had halted the project after stiff opposition from farmers in Halligudi in Gadag district over land acquisition.
Posco's integrated 6-million steel plant was proposed to be set up at an investment of Rs 32,000 crore. It has already paid Rs 130 crore to the state industrial board to carry out land acquisition.
