BHUBANESWAR: In what could further delay the South Korean giant Posco’s plan to set up `52,000- crore steel plant in Orissa, an expert body of the Ministry of Environment and Forests today deferred a decision after a hearing and sought further details on the likely environment impact of its captive port in the region.
Sources said that the Ministry’s expert appraisal committee of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) asked Posco to give additional information on the captive port near its proposed 12-million tonnes per annum plant in Jagatsinghpur district.
The EAC is likely to take up the issue in January after all the information is submitted.
Sources further said that the EAC was apprehensive of a number of ports coming up in the region and felt that there was a need to study the environmental impact on marine life due to them.
The Posco’s captive port was planned in 2005 and since then a lot of developments had taken place around the coastal region. Environmental and CRZ clearance for the construction of the proposed minor port was issued by the Ministry in May 2007, sources said, adding the coast is facing erosion threat.
The panel has now sought an integrated comprehensive EIA, including plant site, power plant, township and captive port.
The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Ministry had already recommended rejection of forest clearance to the project, citing violation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) by the State Government at the site.