Tata offers Green Peace to hold parleys on Dhamra Port

Mumbai, Aug 28 (UNI) Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata today offered to hold parleys with the Green Peace group on its opposition to the construction of Dhamra Port in Orissa.

Responding to the queries raised by few of the Green Peace group members at Tata Steel's 101st annual general meeting here, Mr Tata said, ''We are ready to hold a meeting on September 10, 2008, 1600 hrs, at Bombay House in this regard.'' He also asked them to produce evidences in support of their allegations of environmental threat due to the upcoming greenfield port project in Orissa.

''You have a point of view and we have sought clarity from you,'' Mr Tata said, adding ''We had already asked your group, in last year's AGM, to produce evidences in this regard but we have not yet recieved so far.'' Interestingly, few of the group members, who owned just one share of Tata Steel, came up to speak in the AGM and raised the matter but they were hooted out by the other shareholders.

However, Mr Tata made a humble request and requested the shareholders to maintain peace and offered to meet the group and discuss the issue.

He also reiterated that the company was committed to the socio- economic prosperity and sustainable development and would continue to work with the civil society and the Government towards the same.

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