The big ticket POSCO steel plant project and the Orissa government received a major setback with a committee of the environment and forest ministry reporting gross violation of the Forest Rights Act and virtually nailing the state government.

It has called for stoppage of all project related work till the FRA is implemented as per instructions and guidelines of the ministry. The forest diversion proposal approved by the ministry in December 2009 may be put on hold or withdrawn, suggested the report.

The NC Saxena Committee, in its report submitted to Union minister Mr Jairam Ramesh a couple of days ago, is understood to have pin pointed the FRA violations and the misleading facts provided by the state government.

Mr Saxena has also written a letter to Mr Ramesh on the findings of a three member team comprising Mr Arupjyoti Saikia, Mr Ravi Rebbapragada and Mr Ashish Kothari who had conducted field visits and interacted with villagers as well as government officials.

Contrary to the district administration’s claims, there are Other Traditional Forest Dwellers in the area. Both documentary and oral evidence exists to this effect, including records of the erstwhile Bardhaman estate, rent receipts of the families from early 20th century and forest settlement records. Some of this evidence has been attached to the report.

The FRA process has not been completed in fact it has not proceeded beyond the initial stages, for various reasons. It is therefore incorrect for the district administration to conclude that there are no OTFDs in the area, without having gone through the process of claims, noted the committee. The palli sabhas have given resolutions refusing consent to diversion of forest land on which they are dependent. It is pertinent to point out here that these palli sabhas were convened by the district administration itself, after receiving instructions relating to the MoEF circular of July 2009, which indicates that the administration was aware of the presence of forest rights claimants in the area. A startling fact cited by the three member team is that a patch of forest land close to the land proposed to be diverted for POSCO, palli sabha consent was reportedly sought and obtained by the administration for IOCL complex. Yet in the case of POSCO the administration is taking the plea that such consent is not needed. The team’s conclusion is that any work related to the project in the area would be a violation of the FRA.

Appallingly this was informed by the team to the district administration on 24 July, and the state chief secretary on 27 July 2010 and yet the administration is proceeding with land acquisition and demolition of the betel vine cultivation of people on forest land, observed Mr Saxena in his letter to the central Minister. He urged Mr Ramesh to ask the Orissa government to ensure proper.

The ministry, on receipt of complaints, had withdrawn forest and environment clearance accorded to the Vedanta University project at Puri a couple of months ago.

(Sourced from Statesman News Service)