Rift in pro-Posco body widens

BHUBANESWAR: There is no end to road blockade to South Korean giant Posco’s search for land to set up its 12-million ton steel plant near Paradip. Now POSCO Joint Co-ordination Committee [JCC], which backed the project, stands divided with a section from among pro-Posco supporter declaring war against the project on Tuesday.

The revenue officials on Tuesday began symbolic socio-economic survey at Bainala and Bhuyanpal, Kandha under Garakujanga Panchayat.

But they did not enter the areas where the villagers had announced to oppose their entry. Earlier, POSCO Pratirodha Ganasangram Samiti, which had been opposing the project from the beginning had made it clear that it would not allow the survey team to enter into Dhinkia village.

Ironically, Nuagaon Sarapanch Bhaskar Swain, who had quit the JCC on May 15th, last had mobilized some 400 villagers not to let the survey team enter into the Posco project area. On Tuesday, another section of members had left the JCC meeting at Garakujana in protest against non-fulfillment of 29-charter of demands.

Meanwhile, Jagatsinghpur MP and Decision Committee Coordinator, Bibhu Prasad Tarai accused chief minister Naveen Patnaik of breach of trust as the survey work was to start only after sorting out the vexed issues of compensation and identification of land etc with at Revenue Divisional Commissioner, [RDC].

Mr Tarai, who was arrested recently at the entry point to the Posco project, has urged Mr Patnaik to suspend the survey work immediately for a lasting solution to the contentious issues.