The anti-Posco activists have hailed the findings of the Meena Gupta panel on Posco project though they are little surprised at the filing of two separate reports by the leader of the panel Meena Gupta and her three associates in the committee.
The majority opinion- the view of three out of four members of the committee- is for revocation of the environment and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearances given to the project and its captive port near Paradip. “This is in tune with our demand for scrapping the project”, said Abhay Sahoo, president of Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS), the organization spearheading the anti-Posco movement in the state.
Sahoo said, his organization would hold a massive rally at the project site soon, preferably before the forest advisory committee (FAC) takes up the reports for consideration on October 25, to step up its demand for shifting of the project from the area.
Sahoo said, though Gupta has differed with other members of the committee on revocation of clearances, she has agreed with them on violation of provisions of forest rights act in the project site and the adverse impact the project would have on the local environment.
President of UAC Anadai Rout said, “the people of the area want establishment of Posco project. So we expect the FAC would take a favourable decision on 25th October”.
