Photographs: Reuters BS Reporter in Bhubaneswar
Posco, Essar Steel, JSPL are among the major beneficiaries.
Forest land measuring 1838.79 hectares (ha) has been diverted for 15 industrial projects in Odisha between 2004 and 2013.
A written reply by Bikram Arukh, minister for forest & environment in the assembly reveals that the forest land has been diverted for project proponents like Posco India, Essar Steel, Aditya Aluminium, Jindal Steel & Power Ltd (JSPL), Bhushan Steel & Power Ltd (BSPL) and Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) to name a few.
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1839 hectares of forest land in Odisha given to 15 industries
Photographs: Reuters
To facilitate establishment of an integrated steel plant by Posco India, 1253.22 ha forest land has been diverted under Rajnagar wildlife division in Jagatsinghpur district.
For setting up of an integrated steel complex with a captive power plant (CPP) by JSPL at Angul, 168.23 ha forest land has been diverted.
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1839 hectares of forest land in Odisha given to 15 industries
Image: A farmer collects betel leaves near POSCO India's Odisha Project site at Gobindpur village in Jagatsinghpur district in Odisha.Photographs: Reuters
The quantum of forest land given to other industries include BSPL (59.16 ha), Aditya Aluminium (119.26 ha), Shyam DRI Power (38.39 ha) and Bhushan Steel & Strips (61.47 ha).
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1839 hectares of forest land in Odisha given to 15 industries
Image: Children shout slogans as police stand guard during a protest against land acquisition at Gobindpur village in Jagatsinghpur district in Odisha.Photographs: Reuters
In lieu of the forest land allotted to industries, funds worth Rs 161.33 crore (Rs 1.61 billion) have been deposited in the Ad-hoc CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management & Planning Authority) account.
The funds have been deposited under various heads, such as net present value (NPV), compensatory afforestation and wildlife management.
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