Jan. 31: The environment minister, Mr Jairam Ramesh’s relentless crusade against bad environmental practices has been tempered with his granting a conditional approval to the South Korean steel giant Posco enabling it to finally set up a $12 billion steel mill and captive port in Orissa. Billed as India’s largest FDI project, the ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) order has come with 28 conditions for the steel-cum-captive power plant and another 32 conditions for the captive port which Posco will have to implement.
“Environmental clearance for the steel-cum-captive power plant is being accorded with 28 additional conditions over those stipulated in the original environmental clearance of July 19, 2007,” the environmental minister, Mr Jairam Ramesh, declared in his order. “Clearances for the captive port is being accorded with 32 additional conditions over and above those stipulated in the original environmental clearance of May 15, 2007,” the order further read.
The MoEF has sought an assurance from Patnaik government that the project will not end up trampling on the rights of the other traditional forest dwellers (OTFD) under the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
“The final approval of the diversion of 1,253 hectares for the Posco would be granted as soon as this assurance of the state government is received by the MoEF, ” the minister said. A much relieved Mr Patnaik has welcomed the project declaring: “On the face of it MoEF’s order sounds good news to us but it is a conditional clearance and we need to study it carefully.” The granting of the clearance was being treated as a fait accompli once Mr Ramesh had agreed to meet senior Posco officials earlier this month.
The Orissa government has stated it would begin acquiring land for this project at the earliest. But the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, which has spearheaded a five-year agitation against this project is determined it will not allow thousands of villagers to get displaced. Conditions for environmental clearance for the steel plant will include following the national ambient air quality standards, providing sustainability studies of water requirements, ensuring 25 per cent of the plant be kept as a green zone and ploughing back two per cent of its annual profits for welfare schemes in that region.
The minor port will be required to submit a detailed maritime environment conservation plan to the ministry as also provide a compensation package to the local fishing communities. No construction in the high erosion zone will be permitted and they will also be required to submit a detailed Marine Environment Conservation Plan and also promote the nesting of the Olive Riddle turtles.
Praising the decision, Posco India’s vice-president, Mr Vikas Sharan, has stated that while the state government has already transferred 600 acres to the firm, they are awaiting the transfer of the entire 4,000 in order to begin operations.