Orissa CM agrees to visit Posco steel plant site
|
COMMENTS 
Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has given in to the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti’s demand that he visit the site, after meeting its representatives for the first time. The prominent anti-Posco group has said it will allow a preliminary survey in two of the seven villages after June 17 provided no policemen accompany the surveyors
Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will visit the three gram panchayats in Jagatsinghpur district where thousands of villagers are opposed to displacement and are demanding that the site of a proposed Posco steel plant be shifted.
Although the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti has been demanding this for the last five years, this was the first time its representatives met Patnaik on June 13, 2010. Also, for the first time since he became chief minister in March 2000, Patnaik will visit the villages to hear what people opposed to land acquisition have to say.
The Samiti, in turn, agreed to the chief minister’s proposal that a preliminary survey for the project continue without police deployment in two of the seven villages -- Dhinkia and Gobindpur -- after June 17. Patnaik said he would hold talks with other sections of the remaining three gram panchayats and visit the area at an appropriate time after the survey was completed. The State Revenue Department has already completed the survey in Gadakujang and Nuagaon panchayats.
Talking to journalists after the meeting, Samiti Chairman Abhay Sahu expressed satisfaction with Patnaik’s promise to visit the area: “The chief minister has agreed to our proposal. We are happy with the talks. The survey can start, but we have also invited the chief minister to visit the affected areas to assess the loss of livelihood due to the project,” Sahu said.
Asserting that the demand to shift Posco India Private Limited’s project from Dhinkia, Nuagaon and Gadakujang was “non-negotiable,” Sahu hoped that Patnaik would concede to the plea after he saw for himself what damage the steel plant would inflict on the villages where people are dependent on agriculture, prawn-farming and betel vine cultivation.
Surveyors are, at present, verifying the last survey conducted in 2008 to assess the valuation of the betel vines and other crops, based on which the state will announce a new rehabilitation package for the 2,700 affected people in seven villages.
Government officials were initially hesitant about allowing Sahu to meet the chief minister as he has non-bailable warrants against him. The police has slapped at least 36 criminal cases, including attempt to murder, rioting, abduction of foreign nationals, and arson against him.
Revenue Divisional Commissioner P K Mohapatra, who was present at the meeting, described the talks as a success. “From now on, the protesters will remove the barricade which was hindering entry of officials to the village. The survey will be completed by June 24 after which the district administration will announce the new rehabilitation package. We hope things will be smooth for the project,” Mohapatra said.
Source: The Hindu, June 14, 2010
The Indian Express, June 14, 2010