Pada-yatra against Posco and Vedanta University projects

The anti-land acquisition leaders and the activists of various Jana Sangathans in Orissa have intensified their stir against the projects of Posco and Vedanta, the two big ticket investments in the state.

They have demonstrated their stiff opposition to these projects by starting a pada-yatra on Sunday from Dhinkia village in Jagatsinghpur district, the proposed site of the Posco project, up to Puri, the site chosen for the Vedanta University project.

The members of the Vedanta Vishwavidyalaya Sangharsh Samiti (VVSS), the organization spearheading the movement against the Vedanta University project have also thrown their weight behind these activists.

The pada-yatra comes at a time when the state government is making frantic efforts to woo the locals for the Posco steel project ahead of the foundation stone laying ceremony for this mega venture scheduled for January 10 next year.

The week-long pada-yatra commencing from Dhinkia on Sunday and culminating at Puri on the coming Saturday is aimed at generating public support against the Posco steel plant and the Vedanta University project.

The activists have dawn up plans to strengthen the movement through involvement of women and village youths in the programme.

The anti-land acquisition leaders took a swipe at the Orissa government for offering 4004 acres for the Posco project and 6,000 acres of land for the Vedanta University project.

They alleged that the state government is selling minerals, water and other resources to the industries at the cost of the farm community.

They asserted that no forces can stop their movement and vowed to fight against Posco and Vedanta projects with the cooperation of the villagers.

Meanwhile, the strength of Posco Pratirodh Sangran Samiti (PPSS), the organization spearheading the anti-Posco agitation, appears to have somewhat depleted owing to the meagre participation of the villagers from Dhinkia and Gobindpur, two main strongholds of PPSS, in the pada-yatra and rallies.

Only 100 villagers of Dhinkia and 50 villagers of Gobindpur participated in these rallies due to infighting within PPSS, admitted Tamil Pradhan, member of the United Action Committee for Posco project

Even, local MP Bibhuprasad Tarai, who was at the forefront of the anti-Posco movement, did not turn up for the pada-yatra despite his presence at Kujang.

Apart from PPSS, the activists of the National Centre for Advocacy Studies, Orissa Jan Adhikar Morcha , Association for People’s Democratic Rights, Niyamgiri Surkhya Samiti, Centre for Studies of Developing Societies, All India Democratic Student Organizations, National Campaign for Survival Right and the Banbasi Surkhya Parishad , Kandhmal are participating in the rallies and pada-yatra.