The Orissa government on Wednesday assured the Union ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) that the Forest Right Act has been implemented in the proposed Posco-India’s project site in Jagatsinghpur paving the way for obtaining the final forest clearance for the project.
The state government submitted the assurance report to the MoEF stating that there are no tribals living in the forest. Moreover, it said no traditional forest dwellers have been living in the area for the last 75 years and dependent on the forest for their livelihood.
?There are no tribals nor traditional forest dwellers living in the forest areas that falls under the proposed site for Posco-India’s project in Jagatsinghpur district,? said the state chief secretary, BK Patnaik, while confirming that the state government has submitted the assurance report to the ministry on Wednesday. The state forest and environment principal secretary, Arabindo Behera, said the district collector of Jagatsinghpur and the officials of the state SCs & STs welfare department have examined the claims of the local people and prepared the report.