Land demarcation, socio-economic survey for POSCO next week

BHUBANESWAR: Unfazed by protests over the proposed plant site of POSCO at Jagatsinghpur village near Paradip, Orissa government has asked district authorities to commence land demarcation and socio-economic survey at the site from next week, officials said on Friday.

While the government has already asked district officials to begin preparatory work before going to the field, the actual date for initiating the survey would be taken by the Jagatsinghpur collector.

"The survey work is likely to start from next week," said a senior district administration official.

According to the state government's nodal officer for POSCO project, P Patnaik, the officials were asked to conduct both land demarcation as well as socio-economic survey activities simultaneously.

"As a large number of people are supporting the project, now there will be no opposition to the survey," he claimed.

The Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), central division, Suresh Mohapatra told media that the local collector was authorised to take final decision when to start survey. Senior revenue officials including the RDC had already held talks with local leaders from panchayat levels to the MLA on the issue, the sources said.

Besides holding talks with the ruling party peoples' representatives, Mohapatra today took views of the Opposition Congress leader Bijay Nakay on the issue. The government had roped in local leaders of different political parties to ensure that the people do not oppose the survey team.