Orissa High Court

Cuttack, July 28: A writ petition seeking “appropriate direction” to stop cutting trees at the site of the proposed Posco steel plant was filed in Orissa High Court today.

The petition said: “Fifty thousand trees have been cut by the government… It is ascertained from the government website that more than five lakh different trees would be cut down in the area for the proposed steel plant.”

“Out of the trees that would be cut down, it is estimated that almost three lakh Jhaun (Tamarisk) trees that protect the coast from wind and sea waves would be cut down,” the petition added, in an expression of apprehension that it would affect the ecology balance and pose danger to the coastal area.

Sabyasachi Mohapatra (40) of Kujang area and two others who said they were social workers filed the petition. “People of the area are aggrieved because the trees were cut down” during land acquisition by Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (IIDCO), the petitioners alleged.

“The state government must come forward to obtain an undertaking from Posco India Ltd to plant as many trees in the area as would be cut in the process,” the petitioners demanded.