[Reader-list] NAPM STATEMENT ON POSCO

[Asit Das]

Orissa : NAPM Press statement on the illegality of the announcement to
start work for POSCO project <http://sanhati.com/articles/8282/>

*October 11, 2013*

Press Statement
Announcement to Start Work for POSCO Project is Illegal

October, 8 : When the hearing on dispensation of environmental clearance
for POSCO project is going on in National Green Tribunal and stay order for
cutting trees continues, the announcement of starting construction by the
Ambassador of Korea and the Chief Minister is nothing but to dishonor the
rule of law as well as against international human rights law. Recently the
United Nations Independent Human Rights experts had urged that “the
construction of a massive Steel Plant and port of Odisha by POSCO must not
proceed as planned without ensuring adequate safeguards and guaranteeing
that the rights of the thousands of people are respected.” The report also
said that ‘ People should not be impoverished in the name of development;
their rights must take precedence over potential profits.’

The POSCO would withdraw everyday 10 million gallons of water from Mahanadi
which may take away ‘right to water’ of people of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.
This is a concern expressed by UNO human right experts. Similarly, when the
National Green Tribunal suspended the given environmental clearance on
March 30, 2012, it was directed to find out alternative source of water for
POSCO, which has not been possible till now.

The MOU has not been renewed till today or the new one is not viable as the
company is not prepared to take iron ore at market price and the number of
real employment generated has not been submitted by the company.
The most important aspect is that till date the company has not prepared an
Environmental Impact Assessment Report for intended 12 million ton steel
plant, all that it has prepared is a report for 4 million tons, the first
phase. This is a fraud. The ministry of Environment and Forests (Government
of India) said before the NGT that POSCO did not provide necessary
documents on the said matter. Again the process of allotment of mining has
not began and it will not be possible that even mining in Khandadhar would
be allowed by the primitive tribals like Paudi Bhuinya who have habitat
right in it. Unless and until the mining is cleared the construction of
plant is illegal even though clearance for plant is granted. But at present
the plant has no environment clearance. So every thing is illegal as of now.

Therefore POSCO’S construction proposal is a dream in the castle. It has to
follow international laws of human rights and respect our constitutional
rule of law.

Prafulla Samantara,
President, Lok Shakti Abhiyan & National Convener, NAPM

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