Posco land losers burn rehabilitation package papers

An organisation of villagers facing displacement for Posco steel project site near here today burnt copies of the rehabilitation package issued by the company.

“We will not allow the plant to come up in the fertile area at any cost,” Posco Pratirodh Kriyanusthan Samiti (PPKS) leader Abhaya Sahoo said at Balitutha, where the protesters have been sitting on dharna since January 26.

He said Posco should have formulated rehabilitation package in consultation with PPKS and Jagatsinghpur district administration.

Officials of the steel major prepared a rehabilitation package and sent its copies by post to three sarpanchs, samiti members and chiefs of affected villages, PPKS members alleged.

“We don't accept the package,” they said adding, “we want Posco to shift the site and allow our dhana (rice), pana (betel vine) and meena (fish) to flourish in the area.”