Project work for Posco plant to be resumed soon: Minister

Bhubaneswar, Jan 31 (PTI) Welcoming conditionalapproval for Rs 51,000 crore Posco steel plant granted byEnvironment Ministry, Orissa government today said projectrelated work would soon be resumed at the proposed site nearParadip in Jagatsinghpur district.

"We welcome the decision and thank EnvironmentMinister Jairam Ramesh for granting approval though theprocess was delayed," Orissa''s Steel and Mines ministerRaghunath Mohanty told reporters here.

Stating that the 12 mtpa plant by the South Koreansteel major would give a new direction to industrialisation inOrissa, he said the MoU with Posco-India which lapsed in Junelast year, would be renewed soon.

Project related work which had been stopped followingEnvironment ministry''s order in August last year, would beresumed soon in the proposed site near Paradip, Mohanty said.

Regarding opposition to the mega project by localpeople, the minister said that the issue would be tackled in apeaceful manner.

Though MoU for the plant was signed betweenPosco-India and Orissa government way back in June, 2005, theproject failed to take off due to protest from locals andenvironmental issues.