Around 20 people were arrested on Thursday for
allegedly trying to obstruct the process of land acquisition for the Rs
52,000 crore Posco steel plant near Paradip.
Activists of United Action Committee (UAC), who earlier backed the mega
project, were taken into custody as they blocked the entry route to Gada
Kujanga opposing land acquisition work, resumed after nine months on
Wednesday, police said.
"About 20 people were arrested after effort to persuade them to clear
the blockade at Gada Kujanga failed," Additional Superintendent of
Police (Paradip), S K Das said. UAC President Anadi Rout was among those
held.
"There has been no untoward incident in any part of the proposed Posco
project site and land acquisition work is progressing in a peaceful
manner," he said.
Among the first to receive compensation for parting with land at
Bayanala in Nuagaon panchayat area was Natabar Swain who was handed over
a cheque for Rs 3.74 lakh, said additional district magistrate
(Paradip) Saroj Choudhury.
Though activists of Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS) blocked the
road to Dhinkia and Gobindpur and supporters of Bhitamati Suraksha Manch
staged a blockade near Nuagaon, land acquisition work continued
smoothly in gada Kujanga area in the proposed project site, officials
said.
Over 700 police personnel were deployed in Balitutha, Gobindpur, Gada
Kujanga, Nuagaon and other areas in order to ensure smooth land
acquisition work and prevent any untoward incident in view of threat by
anti-Posco activists and outfits to oppose the process, police said.
UAC turned hostile on Wednesday and announced its decision to oppose
land acquisition for Posco plant saying the government has failed to
meet its demands.
The district administration of Jagatsinghpur in collaboration with
revenue, forest and horticulture officials and personnel from the state
owned Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO), had
acquired about one acre of forest land housing 11 betel vines yesterday.
Rs 17.50 lakh was paid to those who parted with the land for the Posco
project yesterday, said Land Acquisition Officer Surjit Das.
UAC’s major demands include hike in the price of land to be acquired for
the 12 mtpa Posco steel project, job for each displaced family and hike
in rehabilitation package for betel vine workers and others.
Its leaders said the villagers were angry over the district
administration which went head with land acquisition process despite
their appeal to wait till May 30.
The district administration resumed land acquisition, which was halted
on August 6, 2010 following a stop work order by Union Environment and
Forest Ministry, after requesting the villagers to join a discussion on
their demands with the revenue divisional commissioner on May 30.
District officials claimed that villagers support the project and were
ready to cooperate with the administration but a handful of UAC leaders
turned hostile as they were keen to fulfil their individual interests.
They were hopeful that more and more people would come forward to receive compensation in lieu of their land.
During the first phase of the land acquisition in July-August, 2010, the
district administration had acquired about 10 acres of forest land
compensation, official sources said.