The Centre on Wednesday constituted a four-member committee to ascertain the status of implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 and other rehabilitation measures taken before granting final approval for diversion of forest land for the establishment of the Integrated Steel Plant and Captive Port by Posco-India at Jagatsinghpur district in Orissa.
This follows complaints from the local people regarding violation of the Forest Rights Act.
The Orissa government had submitted a compliance report to the Ministry of Environment and Forests in March this claiming that there were no tribals residing in the land which was to be diverted. The report had been given by the District Collector. However, the documents attached with the report were in the local language and the Ministry had asked these to be submitted in English.
But, in the meanwhile, the Ministry received complaints which prima facie appeared genuine and hence needed further examination that has now resulted in the setting up of the committee. The members are Meena Gupta, former Environment Secretary; Urmila Pingle, an expert on tribal issues; Devender Pandey, former Director of the Forest Survey of India; and V. Suresh, advocate.
The committee will also probe the implementation of the rehabilitation package to the affected people and submit its report within a month.
