Tata's port project let off the hook, Greenpeace says

Mumbai: Greenpeace India has alleged that Jairam Ramesh, Minister of Environment and Forests, has condoned Tata Steel and L and T's violation of the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) 1980 in their joint Dhamra port project in Orissa.

"The shocking revelation of corporates influencing government decisions emerged from file notings recently obtained by Greenpeace through Right To Information (RTI) application," stated a release from Greenpeace on Thursday. It was in sharp contradiction to the ministry's own strictures in similar cases earlier, it said.

Greenpeace said the file notings by Ramesh show that there was a probable legal violation but argued in favour of condoning it on the grounds that "the port itself is nearing completion".