Orissa asks Supreme Court to stay Posco order
By IANSFriday, October 29, 2010
NEW DELHI - The Orissa government Friday moved the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the state high court order cancelling permission given to Posco for iron ore mining in the state.
The Orissa High Court by its order July 14 had overturned the state governments decision to grant permission to Posco for iron ore mining in Kandadhar mines in Sundergarh district and setting up of a mega steel plant in the state.
The state government sought stay on the grounds that it would jeopardize the plan to set up a mega steel plant in the state. The mining license would have enabled Posco to source iron ore for its steel plant from the Kandadhar hills.
The high court was moved by a Bhubaneswar-based company, Geomin Minerals and Marketing (P) Ltd. Orissa in 2009 had recommended to the central government to grant licence to Posco. The petitioner in the high court had sought cancellation of the licence. Geomin had contended this as illegal and irrational.
The Orissa governments counsel Shibashish Mishra filed the appeal in the Supreme Court Friday challenging the high court order. The state has made Geomin, Posco and the Union of India as parties in the petition.
