They spent at least 12 long hours among the villagers of the POSCO Project area.

And in Dhinkia, the Team headed by Ashish Kothari stayed for more than 5 hours on 24 July.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) and Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) have formed a Joint Committee with Arup Saikia and Ravi Chellam besides Mr.Kothari as its member to inquiry into the allegations of violation of Forest Rights Act(FRA) in POSCO site.

The MoEF has given clearance for diversion of 1235.2 hectares of forest land for the project.

However, villagers of Dhinkia, Nuagoan,and Gadakujanga gram panchyats petitioned the MoTA and the MoEF that the District Administration has not implemented the FRA.

Starting their trip to the villages sharp at 6.30 AM, they reached Dhinkia by 8 AM, led by Mr.Kothari.

Team continued their discussion with the PPSS leader till 12.30 PM.

They had their quiet lunch with Abhya Sahu, President POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti(PPSS) along with the anti-POSCO Brigade.

Mr.Sahu seemed very happy with the developments and his camp followers report that the Team has been fully briefed on the alleged violations on FRA count.

Around 1.30 PM, they left for Gobindpur and held discussion with Pro-POSCO people led by United Action Committee Chairman and other leaders.

Later the Team visited Nuagaon and left for Nolia Sahi to have a first hand knowledge on the area.

The Team left the area around 8 PM and went again to meet the Collector.

Kothari Team visit to the proposed site of the POSCO-India's 12 million tonne steel plant in Orissa's Jagatsinghpur district was a much hyped one with media men following them constantly.

Speaking to newsmen Mr.Kothari said that FRA implementation in this area lacked and this has to be done in proper perspective.

He said Gram Sabha meeting needs to be convened for protection of FRA.

The Committee, which arrived in the district headquarters on Friday, had a meeting with the District Administration.

Besides the District Collector Narayan Chandra Jena, Paradip Additional District Magistrate, S K Chaudhury, Rajnagar Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Prasana Kumar Behera, District Rehabilitation Officer, Surjeet Das, and Special Land Acquisition Officer, Nrusingha Swain presented the Government initiatives before the Committee.

Mr.Jena, the District Collector said "We have clarified that there is no violation of FRA".

“Not a single tribal family resides in the proposed POSCO site”, said he.

The four tribal families of Polang village under Gadakujanga gram panchyat are staying outside the proposed site.

The visiting committee was informed that there is no forest dwellers in the site as no villager, who claims to have settled here since three decades, possesses any land record, Mr.Jena added.