Posco to transfer rehabilitation colony land to government

Posco, which is setting up a 12-million tonne per annum steel plant near Paradip, has decided to transfer around 200 acres of land which it acquired through the direct purchase route to the Orissa government.

The company wants the state government to disburse the acquired land to the displaced families to rehabilitate them at the company's proposed rehabilitation colony at Polang village under Gadkujang panchayat in Jagatsinghpur district.

Posco has purchased more than 200 acres of private land at Polang and other villages of Gadkujang panchyat and steps are being taken to rehabilitate the displaced families on these lands, said Murlidhar Swain, block development officer, Erasama block.

The company officials have sought the intervention of the district administration to expedite the transfer of this acquired land to the state government.

The district administration has asked Posco to undertake sand filling and leveling work before transferring the land.

The sand filling and leveling work on the land would be initiated next month so that it could be disbursed to the displaced families, said an official of the revenue department.

The decision to transfer the private land acquired by Posco to the state government was taken at a recent review meeting presided over by Gyanranjan Dash, the district collector.

Meanwhile, the officials of the district administration including district rehabilitation officer Surjeet Dash, special land acquisition officer Nrusingh Swain and the Kujang tahsildar have started discussions with the members of the United Action Committee (UAC) for Posco project and the village sarpanchs.

The officials have sought the cooperation of the UAC members and the villagers to expedite the process of rehabilitation.

Posco is planning to set up a rehabilitation colony at Polang village. Nearly 450 families would be rehabilitated at this village.

As per the Rehabilitation & Resettlement (R&R) policy of the Orissa government, each displaced family is to be provided a house and 10 decimal of land at the rehabilitation colony.

Posco needs to acquire 4004 acres of land in the villages of Dhinkia, Gobindpur, Nuagaon, Polang, Noliashai, Gadkujang, Bhuiyanpal and Bayanalkanda villages.

Out of 4004 acres, 2953 acres are forest land, 438 acres are private land and the rest revenue land.