Land acquisition for Posco's steel project continues for third day, Sec 144 CRPC clamped

PARADIP: Land acquisition for Posco's steel project continued peacefully for the third day today in Odisha's Jagatsinghpur district even as anti-Posco protestors were planning to take out a rally in defiance of prohibitory orders.

"Prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC have been imposed in Patana village to prevent a law and order problem and violators will be taken into custody," Collector S K Mallick said.

"Land acquisition is progressing smoothly. 12 betel vine plantations have been demolished at Gobindpur village. Villagers are fully cooperating," Mallick said.

Betel vine platations and farm land of willing farmers were being acquired peacefully, said Superintendent of Police Satyabrat Bhoi, who along with the collector and other officials were supervising the land acquisition which resumed on Sunday after remaining suspended from February six.

Cheque payments would be made to land-losers after valuation, an officials.

The Dhinkia-Patna Hat road was sealed off with 430 policemen deployed to prevent protestors from going to the meeting venue.

Patna village under Dhinkia grampanchayat, considered the epi-centre of the anti-Posco agitation, continued to remain cordoned off by armed policemen.

The men had fled fearing arrest following the death of three activists in an explosion on Saturday while allegedly making bombs.

The families of the three killed who had earlier refused to accept the bodies have accepted them.