PTI reported that amid protests by locals against land acquisition for POSCO’s steel plant in Orissa’s Govindpur village, Indian environment minister Mr Jairam Ramesh on Sunday asked the state government not to use environmental clearance for the project as a license for forcible acquisition of land.
He said “The POSCO steel cum power cum port project in Odisha was given environment and forest clearance by the ministry of environment and forests 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.”
He said the “intent” and “purpose” of the environmental clearance is not to allow forcible acquisition of land.
He said “I have often said that 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 Odisha government to ensure that land is acquired only through peaceful and law governed means.”
Mr. Ramesh said while all parties should adhere to democratic norms and procedures, “I earnestly hope that the state government will not take any precipitate action.”
He added that “Dialogue and discussion, not coercion is as essential to ecological security as it is to democracy.” (sourced from Hindu)
He said “The POSCO steel cum power cum port project in Odisha was given environment and forest clearance by the ministry of environment and forests 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.”
He said the “intent” and “purpose” of the environmental clearance is not to allow forcible acquisition of land.
He said “I have often said that 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 Odisha government to ensure that land is acquired only through peaceful and law governed means.”
Mr. Ramesh said while all parties should adhere to democratic norms and procedures, “I earnestly hope that the state government will not take any precipitate action.”
He added that “Dialogue and discussion, not coercion is as essential to ecological security as it is to democracy.” (sourced from Hindu)
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