Tata Steel lays foundation stone at Kalinganagar, Posco still groping in darkness

BHUBANESWAR: Tata Steel finally on Friday succeeded to lay the foundation stone of the plant at Ambagadia in Kalinganagar, 120 km from here after a long wait of five years. There was no opposition or whatsoever from the Bisthapan Virodhi Jana Manch (BVJM), a tribal dominated local organization that has been spearheading the movement against displacement.

No police was present at the Kalinga Nagar area on Friday. The surprising element of the low-key foundation stone laying ceremony was that the rituals were performed by tribal priest Laxman Jamuda. Chakradhar Haibru, who recently quit BVJM and received compensation for his land acquired by Tata Steel, attended the function as karta (chief guest).

Reacting to the development, BVJM chief Rabindra Jarika said his organization would continue to oppose the project and never allow the local people to be displaced by “vested interests.”

The other steel major Posco, however, continues to struggle to enter into its project area
As on Friday the activists of Posco Pratirodh Sangaram Samiti (PPSS) led by its president Abhaya Sahoo and Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha member Bibhu Prasad Tarai organized a massive rally at Gobindpur near Paradip and gave fresh call for opposing the South Korean steel major to establish its 12-million-tonne project.

At Gobindpur which is a part of the Posco project site, CPI leader Mr Tarai said chief minister Naveen Patnaik had betrayed him by launching the survey work in the area without consulting him.

“In a meeting with the local legislators, the chief minister had assured us to take all the stakeholders, including the local residents, into confidence before beginning the survey. But, he has launched the work without consulting us,” he alleged.

PPSS leader Mr Sahoo said the Posco would not be allowed to enter the area and local people will keep a round-the-clock watch on the movement of the government and company officials in the area.

“From Friday next, local people will keep a close watch on the movement of government and company officials. A gate will be constructed at the entry point. No police or administrative officials will be allowed to make an entry into our land,” Mr Sahoo announced.