The Hindu : National : Central team completes visit to Posco site

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Monday, Aug 30, 2010
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National

Central team completes visit to Posco site

Prafulla Das

Meets officials, representatives of parties and NGOs
Report likely to be submitted in a month

BHUBANESWAR: The four-member Central team that came to assess the implementation of the Forest Rights Act in the area chosen for the proposed steel plant of Posco-India Private Limited in Orissa's Jagatsinghpur district completed its three-day visit on Sunday.

The committee, headed by the former Union Environment Secretary, Meena Gupta, met top government officials, representatives of political parties and non-government organisations here.

On Friday and Saturday, the team visited several villages in the proposed project site in Erasama area of Jagatsinghpur. Those opposing acquisition of land for the steel project in Jagatsinghpur demanded shifting of the project to any other location stating that acquisition of their land would affect their lives and livelihood sources.

“We heard everybody's viewpoints by meeting the opponents and supporters of the project, officials of different departments of the State government, and representatives of non-government organisations and leaders of some political parties to know the position about implementation of the Forest Rights Act and other issues involved,” Ms. Gupta told journalists here.

The committee is likely to submit its report within a month, according to sources.

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