The decision of the Jagatsinghpur district administration to conduct the Rehabilitation and Peripheral Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) on the Posco project has came in for sharp criticism from the United Action Committee (UAC), a pro-Posco outfit active at the project site.
UAC has expressed its discontent over the administration's decision to conduct the RPDAC meet on July 8 without consulting the villagers on issues of finalization of compensation package and resettlement of the ostracized families. The committee has also resented the move to conduct the survey at Gobindpur village in the absence of some ostracized families.
UAC has taken a swipe at the district administration for failing to meet its demands and has pressed for a fresh survey, alleging a large number of irregularities in the recent survey.
On Tuesday, UAC conducted its meeting at Gadkujang panchayat which was presided over by Anadi Rout, president of UAC. Local legislator, Prasant Muduli and members of UAC were present on the occasion.
Secretary of UAC, Nirvaya Samantray alleged that the main aim of the RPDAC meeting is to rehabilitate Posco company and not to rehabilitate the families affected by the Posco project.
According to Samantray, the finalization of the compensation package cannot be done without the consultation of the affected villagers.
“The district officials including the collector are negotiating with the anti-Posco activists who have been facing 20-25 non-bailable warrant cases. Stern action needs to be taken against these anti-Posco activists”, he stated.
On the other hand, Muduli expressed his dissatisfaction over what he termed as the failure of the administration in conducting a free and fair survey and also in conducting the RPDAC meet according to proper procedures.
It may be recalled that the UAC activists had met the state Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik on June 18 in which they had called for the resettlement of 26 families of Gobindpur ostracized by anti-Posco activists. They had also pointed out that the RPDAC meeting should not be conducted till the creation of a conducive atmosphere at the project site.
They also expressed their displeasure for reduction of number of betel vines, prawn gheris and other trees in proposed Posco site in the recently concluded survey in comparison to the survey conducted in 2008.
Owing to the deficiencies in the current survey, nearly 500 beneficiaries would be deprived of their compensation, they pointed out.
