Reacting to the reports of protests at proposed Posco site, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) has rapped the Orissa government for mistaking the environment clearance as a licence to acquire land forcibly.
“The Posco steel-cum-power-cum-port project in Orissa was given environment and forest clearance by the MoEF after a great deal of thought and a careful balancing of various factors. However, I hope that the state government will not use this clearance as a license for forcible acquisition of land,” a statement issued by Union minister for environment and forest, Jairam Ramesh said.
Villagers near Govindpur, where Posco will be building its $12 billion steel plant, have intensified protest against land acquisition. About 2,000 children, women, and men have formed a human barricade in the area to prevent the entry of police and Jagatsinghpur district administration.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the progress in Posco matter, Ramesh clarified, "I have often said that the environment and forest clearance process should not be used to fight other battles that have to do with important issues like land acquisition, compensation and livelihoods. I appeal to the Orissa government to ensure that land is acquired only through peaceful and law-governed means.”
He also advised both the government and protesters to follow democratic way to express their interest and warned the state government not to precipitate matters.
“While all parties should adhere to democratic norms and procedures, I earnestly hope that the state government will not take any precipitate action. Dialogue and discussion, not coercion is as essential to ecological security as it is to democracy,” the statement said.
MoEF had given its final nod to the South Korean steel giant last month to build the steel plant in the state, after a long delay of five years and with a series of conditions.
