32 UAC activists arrested, freed later
After a smooth beginning to the Posco land acquisition work on Wednesday, the Jagatsinghpur district administration today faced a roadblock in the process as many villagers did not turn up for identification of betel vines following the arrest of 32 activists of United Action Committee, a pro-Posco outfit.
UAC had boycotted the land acquisition work as it was aggrieved over the non-fulfillment of its demands.
On the wee hours of Thursday, irate UAC activists led by its president Anadi Rout staged a road blockade at Gadkujang for preventing the entry of district officials and police personnel to continue land acquisition at the project site.
Though the officials requested the activists to lift the road block, the activists refused to budge from their stand.
Later, the Kujang police arrested 32 UAC activists including its president Rout, secretary Nirvaya Samantray, sarpanch of Gadkujang Nakula Sahu, Nuagaon panchayat samiti member Saumendra Nayak and others, thereby clearing the road for entry of revenue officials and police to project site.
S Debdatta Singh, the district superintendent of police said, “Thirty two persons who were booked under Section 151 of CrPC have been released today afternoon. Due to non-cooperation of villagers, only five betel vines have been demolished. We will not use force on the people to demolish their vines.”
No directive has been received from the government to stop land acquisition from tomorrow, he clarified.
Special Land Acquisition Officer, Nrusingh Swain said, “The villagers who had agreed to demolish their betel vines yesterday refused to hand over their land today due to arrest of the UAC activists.”
Meanwhile, revenue officials faced opposition and non-cooperation from the people of Gadkujang and Nuagaon in demolition of their betel vines after this incident.
The villagers of Nuagaon, Gadkujang and Dhinkia conducted meeting in their respective villages to protest the land acquisition. They have vowed not to go near betel vines for its demolition or to receive cheque from officials.
Despite non-cooperation of villagers, revenue officials demolished the betel vines of five persons and disbursed compensation of Rs 2.74 lakh to Natabar Swain, Rs 2.35 lakh to Hat Behera, Rs 1.07 lakh each to Jayanti Behera and Anant Behera and Rs 35,000 to Sakhi Behera.
As a result of non-cooperation of the villagers, only Rs 7.58 lakh was disbursed to the five beneficiaries.
Basudev Behera, Panchyat samiti member, Gadkujang alleged the family members who are working in Posco Company or availing contract work have demolished their betel vines after being coaxed by the local officials.
On the other hand, Revenue Divisional Commissioner (central range) Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra offered his help to resolve the UAC's demands. However, the UAC rejected his proposal.
Earlier, the activists of UAC had threatened to oppose the land acquisition work if their demands are not fulfilled.
Ignoring their demands, the district administration resumed land acquisition from Wednesday.
“We want the establishment of Posco steel plant but administration has betrayed us and has not fulfilled our demands. We had suggested to put off the land acquisition process till the end of discussion with revenue divisional commissioner (central range) scheduled on May 30 to resolve their demands. But the administration started land acquisition by luring some locals with the offer of jobs, contract work and money and as a result, UAC was forced to protest land acquisition process today,” said Rout.
From among their 29-point charter of demands, the UAC members had pressed for fulfillment of six important demands to extend support to the land acquisition work for the Posco project.
The basic demands include a job for each affected family, increase in the price of agricultural land and homestead land, hike in compensation for betel vine workers, measurement of betel vines from 'stay to stay’ instead of 'fence to fence' and compensation to the beneficiaries who had lost their vines during the socio-economic survey on the project carried out in 2008.
