POSCO agrees for not exporting iron ore

Sunday, 14 Aug 2011

BS reported that even as POSCO India is yet to submit a written response on the draft prepared for renewal of MoU with the Orissa government, the company is understood to have raised certain reservations over the omission of the iron ore swapping clause in the revised pact.

While POSCO has verbally agreed not to export iron ore from Orissa, the steel maker has requested the state government to allow it to swap high alumina content iron ore found in Khandadhar mines with high grade ore of any other firm including state owned Orissa Mining Corporation within the state.

A mines department official familiar with the development said that "POSCO India is yet to submit its written reply to our draft MoU. However, the company, during discussions with the state government officials, has agreed to our other conditions including adhering to the employment clause and promoting ancillary industries around the mother plant.”

The Orissa’s state chief secretary Mr BK Patnaik maintained that POSCO India is yet to submit any written response in connection with the renewal of the MoU that lapsed on June 21 last year.

Despite commitments from top officials of the state government, the renewal of MoU with POSCO India had suffered an inordinate delay. The state government had jumped three of its stipulated deadlines in the road to renewal of the pact.

(Sourced from BS)

POSCO war zone - Congress supports anti POSCO brigade

Sunday, 12 Jun 2011

Asking Orissa Government to refrain from forcible land acquisition for POSCO project near Paradip, Congress committed its support to the people unwilling to give their land for the South Korean steel maker.

Congress sent a four member team headed by party's chief spokesman Prof Kailash Acharya to Dhinkia area where about 600 policemen were deployed to acquire land for POSCO project.

Prof Acharya told PTI over phone that "Though chief minister Mr Naveen Patnaik had announced that force won't be used for acquiring land for industries, today's incident proved his false claim.”

Stating that Congress was totally opposed to the use of force for setting up industries, Prof Acharya alleged that people were not consulted before acquiring their betel vines.

He said that "Land acquisition in Nuagaon gram panchayat is a clear case of state sponsored terrorism. No law is followed for acquiring land for POSCO.”

While the district administration of Jagatsinghpur claimed that it acquired 11 betel vines from Gobindpur village, the Congress team alleged that no beneficiary had turned up to receive compensation.

Prof Acharya said that "This indicated that betel vines are acquired without consent of people and by use of force.” (sourced from PTI)

Orissa objects to MoEF missive on iron ore export by POSCO

Wednesday, 04 May 2011

BS reported that the Orissa government has raised objections over the recommendation of the union ministry of environment & forests to discourage iron ore exports by POSCO from the state.

The state government has said stating that the move to allow or disallow exports of the raw material is not the prerogative of the MoEF, it will take a final call on the matter.

A top official of the state steel & mines department said that "We are going to renew the MoU with POSCO India very soon. But we are yet to decide on whether we will allow or disallow exports of the raw material. In any case the decision will be taken by the state government and the union environment ministry cannot impose any such condition."

The ministry which granted Stage II forest clearance for the POSCO project has suggested that the revised MoU between the state government and POSCO India needs to be negotiated in a manner that the exports of the raw material are completely avoided. (sourced BS)

POSCO war zone - 613 families to be displaced for steel project

Wed, Mar09, 2011

ET reported that Orissa government said only 613 families would be displaced for POSCO steel project near Paradip.

While the number of families facing displacement for POSCO project was initially put at 803, it came down to 613 after the state government decided not to acquire private land at Dhinkia village.

POSCO project which initially required 4004 acre land, would now be set up over 3719.22 acre of land.

Mr Raghunath Mohanty steel minister said that "As the people of Dhinkia are opposed to the project and unwilling to vacate their land, the government has decided not to acquire land from the village.”

He said that with exclusion of private land from Dhinkia village, number of families to be displaced dropped from 803 to 613, adding that 190 families would benefit from the decision.

Mr Priyabrat Patnaik nodal officer for POSCO project said that "The South Korean steel major has also accepted the state government's decision of excluding Dhinkia village from its original plan.”

Of the 3719.22 acre of land for POSCO project, private land was only 152.69 acre while 3566 acre were government land, the minister said adding he was hopeful that the local people would not oppose the project, billed as the biggest foreign direct investment in the country.

Of the 3566 acre government land, 2958.79 acre was categorized as forest land and 607.74 acre non-forest revenue land. Mr Mohanty said that "We need diversification of forest land before handing it over to the company for starting work.”

On renewal of MoU with POSCO-India, the minister said that "We have been processing the file in this matter. IPICOL had already prepared a draft for the renewal of MoU.”

(Sourced from ET)

POSCO war zone - Orissa fails to submit assurance

Friday, 04 Mar 2011 by ET

Though a month has elapsed since the Centre accorded conditional clearance to the POSCO project, Orissa government finds it tough to submit its assurance to the Ministry of Environment and Forest on proper implementation of the Forest Rights Act 2006.

While giving conditional clearance to the INR 52,000 crore project on January 31, the Centre had sought written assurance from the state government on the implementation of the FRA before signing the proposal for diversion of forest land for the South Korean steel major's project.

Chief Secretary Mr BK Patnaik had earlier told media that the state government would positively submit its assurance on the FRA to the Centre by February end. However, the state government failed to meet the deadline due to some fresh claims made by local villagers of Dhinkia and Govindpur gram panchayat.

Aurobind Behera forest secretary said that "We are looking into the fresh claims to be settled under FRA. The state government will soon give its reply to the Centre regarding the FRA implementation.”

Of the 4,004 acres of land demarcated for POSCO project, about 2,900 acre falls under the category of forest land.

A forest and environment department official said that "The forest land must be converted into non-forest land before it is handed to the company for setting up the mega steel plant.”

Meanwhile, the move of the project opponents have put the state government in a fix after the people of Dhinkia and Govindpur passed resolutions opposing the POSCO project at separately held Palli Sabhas on February 21 and 23.

Dhinkia gram panchayat sarpanch Sisir Mohapatra said that "The Palli Sabhas held in Dinkia and Govindpur passed resolutions opposing POSCO project. People facing displacement have made fresh claim under the FRA.”