Talks with anti-Posco group fail

The second round discussions between Posco Pratirodha Sangram Samiti, the organisation spearheading the anti-Posco agitation and revenue divisional commissioner, central range of the Orissa government to resolve the issues pertaining to the South Korean giant's steel project in the state have failed with the PPSS representatives insisting on not allowing the company to acquire land at any cost.

Five-member PPSS team led by Communist Party of India leader Abani Baral attended the meeting at RDC office, Cuttack in the presence of local member of Parliament, Bibhuprasad Tarai.

They demanded shifting of the Posco project out of its present location and also stoppage of the ongoing socio-economic survey for the project in the site villages.

They claimed that thousands of people will lose their land and livelihood for the project which will bring in irreparable loss to flora and fauna besides polluting the water bodies.

PPSS leaders said they have been demanding stoppage of survey work, but the administration has ignored their pleas.

They complained about the use of police force and filing false cases against peaceful protestors on May 15 at Balitutha and on June 1 at Nuagaon.

RDC, Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra, in his response, clarified that there is no question of shifting the plant as government has signed MOU with the South Korean steel major for the project five years back.

As chief minister, Naveen Pattnaik has committed to exclude nearly 300 acres of private land in Dhinkia from the site map, PPSS and villagers should cooperate to expedite the project work, he said.

Mohapatra has given time to PPSS till Monday to consider about the project and lift barricades put up by PPSS activists in Dhinkia and Gobindpur villages for free entry of officials to conduct the survey work.

He proposed PPSS representatives to allow survey teams into Dhinkia panchyat so that the loss of property and livelihood can be properly assessed.

However, panchyat samiti member of Dhinkia, Prakash Jena said, there is no question of allowing the survey teams into Dhinkia panchyat as PPSS has been demanding stoppage of the survey work.

District collector, Narayan Jena, district rehabilitation officer, Surjeet Dash, special land acquisition officer, Nrusingh Swain were also present in the meeting.