NEW DELHI: Under fire from an Environment Ministry-appointed panel on violation of forest laws with regard to Korean Steel plant Posco, Orissa government today rejected the charges and contended that the state had the best track record on implementation of green laws.
A four-member team of Orissa government officials appeared before the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) which took up, among other issues, reports of the Centre-appointed team that reviewed the implementation of forest laws, sources said.
The four-member central committee comprising Meena Gupta, Urmila Pingle, Devendra Pandey and V Suresh had submitted two different reports on Posco's proposal to set up an integrated steel plant and a captive port in Orissa on October 18.
Orissa government officials told the FAC that no violations of Forest Rights Act had taken place at the Posco site and relief and rehabilitation initiatives of project affected persons were best in the country.
They welcomed suggestions from the FAC on fresh conditions to be imposed with regard to the Posco project proposals.
After the Central panel submitted its report to Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, he had referred it to the FAC, the Experts Appraisal Committee and the Coastal Regulation Zone Committee for their views.
While the FAC has held the first hearing in the matter, the EAC and CRZ divisions are yet to deliberate on the issue.