Committee to review green clearance for Posco project

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had in March suspended the government order that had upheld Poscos 2007 environmental clearance.

A three-member expert committee headed by former civil aviation Secretary K Roy Paul will review the environment ministry order that had okayed the environmental clearance granted to steel major Poscos Orissa project,the countrys largest FDI venture.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had in March suspended the government order that had upheld Poscos 2007 environmental clearance. The NGT had asked the environment ministry to conduct a fresh review of the 2011 order by experts to come up with new conditions,and ensure compliance.

Apart from Roy Paul,SR Wate,director of National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and R Ramesh,Director of National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management,are in the committee.

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According to senior Orissa government officials,Posco could be willing to scale down its capacity to 8 million tones per annum (MTPA) instead of 12,its original plan. Posco has not officially said anything yet.

But the issue threatens to linger on as according to those who opposed the Posco project told The Indian Express that even 8 MTPA would not be enough since the green clearance had been issued only for one-third of the project,that is 4 MTPA.

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National Green Tribunal

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