PPSS opposes socio-economic survey of POSCO villages

CPI-backed Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS), the agrarian body opposing the Rs 52,000 crore mega steel project near Paradip by South Korean steel major, today said that they will not allow any socio-economic survey in the proposed plant site villages.
"The villagers are determined not to allow any survey team in our area. We do not understand why the government is making socio economic survey in spite of our repeated 'NO' for establishment of any project in Gram Sabha (village council)," PPSS spokesman Prashant Paikray said.
Stating that the villagers came to know about the proposed survey from the media, Paikray said the state-owned IDCO (Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation), would undertake socio-economic survey in the proposed plant site village with help of Hyderabad- based Centre for Management & Social Research (CMSR).

Alleging that the state police continued to harass the people who democratically oppose the project, PPSS said that the saga of filing false cases and random arrest of villagers in Jagatsinghpur district has been going for a long time.
The state government has meanwhile recommended name of Posco to be accorded Perspective Licence (PL) in Kensara, Bhutuda, Rantha, Batagaon Soreikala, Lusi and Raisuan villages of Khandadhar mines in Sundargarh district for a period of three years.