In a sudden shift in stand, the United Action Committee (UAC), a pro-Posco outfit which had vowed to intensify its stir against land acquisition for the Posco project, has decided to extend cooperation for the process.
This follows the negotiations of the district administration with the committee.
However, some villagers alleged many UAC members have surrendered to the district administration apprehending a split in the committee.
For the past two days, UAC conducted village meetings and pada yatras at Nuagaon and Gadkujang panchayats where it sought the cooperation from the villagers to boycott the land acquisition process after the arrest of its 32 members. It also protested the land acquisition work over non-fulfillment of its demands. Responding to UAC's call, the villagers nearly stalled the land acquisition work as they did not turn up for identification of betel vines. Even, the district administration was forced to suspend land acquisition for two days (Saturday and Sunday) owing to non-cooperation of the villagers.
However, a day after vowing to intensify the stir against the land acquisition process, UAC staged a U-turn and meekly agreed to cooperate with the ongoing land acquisition exercise today.
The U-turn on part of the outfit has sharply brought it under clouds of suspicion with allegations flying thick and fast that its officer-bearers sacrificed the larger interest of the prospective land losers.
Sabita Dei, a resident of Nuagaon village has sharply reacted to UAC's change in stand. She alleged a few UAC members are selling themselves to Posco and have therefore agreed to co-operate in the land acquisition process.
On Monday, the district collector Narayan Jena conducted meeting with UAC members at Gadkujang to seek their cooperation in land acquisition process. He also committed to press their six-point charter of demands near the revenue divisional commissioner-RDC (central range), P K Mohapatra. President of UAC, Anadi Rout and others were present at this meeting.
UAC secretary Mr Nirvya Samantray said, “Frequent approach of the district administration and its commitment to fulfill our demands after discussions with RDC on 30 May has prompted us to co-operate with the administration during the land acquisition process.
Meanwhile, the shortage of bank cheques severely affected the land acquisition process today as a result of which the revenue officials failed to achieve the target for demolition of betel vines and payment of compensation on Monday.
Of 30 betel vines that were targeted to be demolished today, only 18 vines were demolished and a compensation of Rs 37.5 lakh was paid to only 15 beneficiaries.
“We had targeted to demolish 30 betel vines today but demolished only 18 due to shortage of cheques. We disbursed a compensation of Rs 37.50 lakhs”, said Basudev Pradhan, tahsildar of Kujang.
“The response of villagers was unexpected and demolition of more than 50 persons could have been possible if we had sufficient cheques”, said a revenue officer.
One beneficiary of Nuagaon village said, “I handed over twelve decimal of land to Posco after demolition of betel vines today but am yet to receive any compensation due to want of cheques.”
