In an ironic turn of event, United Action Committee (UAC), a pro-Posco outfit extending support to the 12 milion tonne steel project of the South Korean company at Paradip, has warned that it will not cooperate with the administration in acquisition of land for the project unless its 29 charter of demands are met. The setback has come days before the start of land acquisition work from May 18.
The UAC, which held a rally at Gadakujang today, complained that the government has failed to keep its promise to give higher compensation and resettlement package to the project affected villagers. It has given May 15 deadline for fulfillment of their demand.
“We would not cooperate with the government machinery in land acquisition work. The drive is destined to fail without people’s cooperation. People would not come up to identify the betel vines and prawn hatcheries. No one would come to receive the compensation cheques. If the officials demolish the betel vines and prawn hatcheries, they would be considered as 'pro-industry' and anti-people”, said Nirvaya Samantaray, UAC general secretary.
“We have suffered a lot from anti-posco activists for extending support to the project. Now, we are not in a mood to suffer because of under-paid package”, he added.
“For the past one year, we have been raising the issue of increasing the compensation package at the meeting of Rehabilitation and Peripheral Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) but the government is not listening to us. We were assured that the matter would be solved through discussions with the Chief Minister but nothing has been done”, said Anadi Charan Rout, UAC president.
The 29-point charter demands include bigger ex-gratia sum for home stead land, employment to at least one member of each displaced family, inclusion of betel vines demolished in 2008 in the enumeration exercise and offering priority to locals in construction and contracts work.