Govt to take final call on Posco project by Jan end

New Delhi, Jan 24 (PTI) The Environment Ministry todaysaid it will take a final call on the Posco project in Orissaby this month-end.

"By the end of January 2011," Environment Minister JairamRamesh told reporters here when asked about the government''sdecision on the South Korean major''s USD 12 billion steel millproject in the coastal state.

The Ministry has put Posco project, which seeks diversionof 1,253.225 hectares of forest land for establishment ofintegrated steel plant and captive port in Jagatsinghpurdistrict, under scanner citing alleged green law violations.

The Ministry has set up three panels -- Forest AdvisoryCommittee (FAC), Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of CoastalRegulation Zone and another EAC -- to look after the green lawviolation issue.

The three panels are learnt to have submitted theirreports.

Last week, South Korea had urged India to fast-trackthe steel project.