Anti-Posco brigade blocks govt dole

The process of identification of beneficiaries towards payment of old age and widow pension was severely hit at the trouble torn Gobindpur village, the site for the Posco project in Jagatsinghpur district with the anti-Posco activists assaulting the block officials.

The anti-Posco activists have threatened not to allow any development work including payment of old age and widow pension at Dhinkia panchayat till the Posco project is relocated.

Sources said, the disbursement of Indira Awas Yojana, payment of old age and widow pension, constructions under Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana, Public Distribution System (PDS), and other development works have been completely paralyzed at Dhinkia panchayat as the anti-Posco activists had barred the entry of the district officials.

On last Saturday, the district officials led by district collector N C Jena entered Dhinkia panchayat after the activists of Posco Pratirodha Sangram Samiti (PPSS) lifted barricade to facilitate socio-economic survey of the area.

During the visit of officials, pro Posco families at Gobindpur and Dhinkia urged to introduce development works and demanded payment of old age and widow pension to the beneficiaries who have been deprived of it for the past five years .

Meanwhile, the block officials have prepared the list of hundreds of beneficiaries towards old age and widow pension.

On Wednesday, the block officials led by the sub divisional officer Abdul Wahab Khan visited Gobindpur to finalize the names of beneficiaries after verification but PPSS activists protested and assaulted them.

These block officials were barred by PPSS from conducting any other survey except the survey for the Posco project.

They also attempted to tear the application forms of the villagers while the officials verified their documents.

They warned the officials of dire consequences if they attempted to enter the village.

Khan said that the officials have decided to verify the documents including photo identity card as well the economic status (whether above or below poverty line) of nearly 100 beneficiaries to provide old age and widow pension but this verification has been affected due to protest of anti-Posco activists.

On the other hand, PPSS leaders have alleged that the district administration is trying to win over the minds of villagers by giving them old age and widow pension and other benefits.

However, we are against the receipt of any benefit unless the Posco project is shifted from Dhinkia panchyat, they asserted.

In another development, the survey work on the Posco project which was stopped on Tuesday due to observance of 'Black Day' by the PPSS activists, restarted today.

The ongoing socio-economic survey was severely affected at Dhinkia village due to non-cooperation of the villagers while survey teams conducted forest and horticulture survey on government land.

District rehabilitation officer, Surjeet Dash admitted that the socio-economic survey has been affected at Dhinkia village due to non-cooperation of the villagers.