Work remained stalled for the fourth consecutive day today with villagers stepping up protests at the Posco steel project site in Orissa's Jagatsinghpur district.
"Work remains suspended in the area. Discussion with the people is continuing. We are hopeful of a consensus and the work will start soon," District Collector NC Jena said.
Initially, with the cooperation of pro-industry outfit United Action Committee (UAC), land acquisition, ground levelling, construction of boundary wall and tree felling went on for a few days.
Resentment, however, brewed among villagers affiliated to UAC over the issue of compensation and other amenities.
They demanded fulfilment of a six-point charter of demands before work went ahead in the area.
As a result, Nuagaon area, barely three km from Dhinkia, has turned out to be a new botheration as villagers under the banner of Bhitamati Surakshya Manch are sitting on dharna with women keeping a watch to prevent felling of trees.
Meanwhile, anti-Posco organisation Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS) leader Abhay Sahu said, "If needed, PPSS will agitate at Nuagaon as well if the government attempts tree felling in the area."