Orissa to submit reply on Posco project to centre next week

BHUBANESWAR: Under pressure to speed up the process for starting Posco's 12 million tonne steel project, Orissa government has decided to submit its assurance report to the Centre next week, reiterating its earlier that there was no tribal inhabitant or traditional forest dwellers in the villages demarcated for project near Paradip.

Chief secretary B K Patnaik on Sunday said chief minister Naveen Patnaik has approved the documents to be sent to the Ministry of Environment and Forest on proper implementation of the Forest Rights Act 2006. "We are ready to reply to the Centre's queries," Mr Patnaik said here.

While according conditional environment clearance to Posco project on January 31, union environment minister Jairam Ramesh had sought an assurance report from the state government on the proper implementation of the provisions under FRA. The state government would continue reiterating its earlier stand that there was neither any tribal family nor any other traditional forest dwellers in the seven villages under Ersama block of Jagatsinhpur district.

About 2,900 acres, out of the total 4,000 acres of land required for the Posco project, come under forest category. The MoEF had sought a pointed assurance from the state government after two central panels, the Saxena Committee and the Meena Gupta Committee, suggested clear violation of FRA at the Posco's proposed plant site area.

Besides, local residents had also claimed that they fell under the category of other traditional forest dwellers and were living in the demarcated villages for over 75 years. However, the state government claimed that the area was categorised as forest land barely 40 years ago and not 75 years ago. "The sea-side villages near Paradip were not categorised as forest land 75 years ago. Therefore, provisions under FRA could not be applicable to villages at the Posco's proposed plant site," the chief secretary said.

Meanwhile, the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samit, spearheading campaign, has announced to mobilise all like-minded parties to launch agitation across the state. Sources said, the matter relating to their claim of being other traditional forest dwellers would be taken up to the court of law.

"How can the state government denounce us the status of other traditional forest dwellers even though villagers already possessed required revenue documents," asked Dhinkia Gram Panchayat sarpanch Sisir Mohapatra.