The proposed port could lead to severe erosion along the coastline and pose serious threat to Paradip Port, the port authorities had warned in their report to the state government, sources said.
Opposing the Rs5,000 crore proposed captive port by Posco in Orissa, CPI(M) today supported CPI-backed Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti's (PPSS) demand for shift of the South Korean company's steel project from the site identified near Paradip.
CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat, who addressed a tribal convention in Orissa's Mayurbhanj district, told PTI over phone that her party was opposed to Posco's proposal to build a captive port at Jatadhari river mouth.
"There is no point in allowing Posco to set up another port close to a major government port at Paradip," she said adding the proposed port by Posco would "destroy" prospect of Paradip Port, besides damaging the ecology.
While many people were opposing the proposed mega steel plant, port project was also "equally sensitive", Karat said adding that "Posco's port project should also be opposed."
Posco had signed an MoU with Orissa government in June, 2005 to set up a 12 million ton steel plant at an investment of Rs52,000 crore along with a captive port at Jatadhari, on the river mouth of Mahanadi. The proposed port site was only 12km south of Paradip port.
The Paradip Port authorities, sources said have meanwhile, objected to location of Posco's port plan.
The proposed port could lead to severe erosion along the coastline and pose serious threat to Paradip Port, the port authorities had warned in their report to the state government, sources said. This apart, Posco's proposed port jurisdiction also clashed with the limit of Paradip Port, they said.
The port project has been accorded environmental clearance by the Union environment and forest ministry.
Stating that CPI(M) was opposed to displacement of people, Karat said the state government should refrain from attempting to evict people from Dhinkia and two other gram panchayat areas as the fertile land there was the only source of livelihood for hundreds of families.
"The demand of people opposing the Posco's steel plant project is legitimate," Karat said adding that her party cadre in Orissa were with the villagers.
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