The land acquisition for the 12 million tonne Posco steel plant in Orissa has picked up pace with United Action Committee, a pro Posco outfit active at the project site near Paradip, extending its support to the process.
On the fifth day of the exercise today, the revenue officials demolished 36 betel vines on the government land and distributed compensation of Rs 57 lakh to the beneficiaries in Nuagaon, Noliashai, Polang and Bhuyanpal villages.
“The land acquisition is going on in full swing with cooperation of the villagers who have made beeline to hand over their betel vines to clear the land for the Posco project”, said Jagatsinghpur district official.
It may be noted, UAC had given a call for non-cooperation in the land acquisition process citing non-fulfillment of its 29 charter of demands mostly relating to higher compensation, jobs and environment protection.
However, after the assurance of the district collector Narayan Jena to UAC members that their demands will be looked into sympathetically during the forthcoming discussion with the revenue divisional commissioner (RDC), central range, on 30th May, UAC had agreed to cooperate in the exercise.
Today four teams were pressed into land acquisition work in Nuagaon and Gadakujang panchayats.
Nakula Sahoo, sarpanch of Gadakujang panchayat, said, “We have faith in the administration to resolve our issues after discussions with the RDC. So, we agreed to cooperate during land acquisition.”
