There seems to be no respite for the Posco project even after the completion of the socio-economic survey and declaration of the compensation package for the affected families.
The publication of the recently published survey list was paralyzed at Dhinkia on Monday due to protests by the activists of Posco Pratirodha Sangram Samiti (PPSS), the organization spearheading the anti-Posco agitation in the state.
A team of revenue officials led by Purna Chandra Parida, revenue inspector of Nuagaon had gone to Dhinkia panchayat to publish the survey list and to invite applications from the beneficiaries of betel vines.
Hundreds of PPSS activists gheraoed these officials, thereby preventing the publication of the survey list at the panchayat office.
Basudev Pradhan, tahsildar of Kujang admitted that the publication of survey list has been affected at Dhinkia due to protest of the local villagers and steps are being taken to publish the survey list in consultation with the villagers.
“The villagers have protested the publication of the survey list at Dhinkia panchayat office as they are demanding the shifting of the site of the Posco project. The anti-Posco activists have warned the officials of dire consequences if they attempt to publish survey list. The harassed officials left this village without the publication of the survey list and non-receipt of applications due to threat of PPSS activists,” said Sisir Mohapatra, the sarpanch of Dhinkia and general secretary, PPSS.
The attempt of the officials to publish the survey list at the Gobindpur primary school also met with protests from the irate villagers who forcibly took the survey list from the officials.
Even the pro-Posco villagers who came forward to submit their applications for inclusion of their betel vines in the survey list were attacked by the anti-Posco activists who tore their applications.
