The game of one-upmanship between the anti and pro-Posco groups in the state has taken a queer turn. Peeved by Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s decision to meet leaders of anti-Posco brigade to resolve issues involving Posco’s mega steel project in the state, the pro-Posco activists have now demanded that they also be invited for direct negotiation with the chief minister for finalization of compensation package.
The United Action Committee, a pro-Posco outfit active in the project site area near Paradip in Orissa, has warned that it will intensify stir if not called for talks with the CM.
UAC, for some time, has been pressing for fulfillment of its 29-point charter of demands, mostly relating to compensation and rehabilitation of affected persons, creation of job opportunities, environment protection and peripheral development.
UAC president, Anadi Rout today conducted a meeting at Gadkujang, a village affected by the project, in which all members of the outfit strongly reacted to the chief minister’s decision to hold talks with anti-Posco movement leader Abhay Sahoo, who is accused of torturing pro-Posco villagers and faces 38 criminal cases on Posco related violence.
Sahoo is the president of Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, the organization spearheading agitation against the project for last five years.
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Expressing dismay over the development, UAC president, Rout said, such gesture (inviting a person facing criminal charges for talks) would further deteriorate the law and order situation in the site area.
General Secretary of UAC, Nirvaya Samantray said, the district administration has failed to fulfill their 29-point charter of demands for last years. Hence, it was high time the chief minister himself called them for negotiation.
Similarly, UAC activists demanded immediate resettlement of 22 pro-Posco families of Gobindpur village who had left their village two years back due to torture and attack by PPSS activists.
Samantray said, UAC has written letters to the chief minister, Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), central range and the district collector urging them to consider their demand and take steps for direct talks with the chief minister to finalise the Posco compensation. If it is not acceded they would intensify their stir, he warned. Gadkujang sarpanch, Nakula Sahoo, panchayat samiti member, Saumendra Nayak, Dhirendra Pallei and others were present in the meeting.