Posco land acquisition work may start again on Friday

The land acquisition work for the Posco project which was suspended for four days owing to Raja, a local festival, is set to kick off again on Friday.

The Jagatsinghpur district administration is prepared to restart the process from tomorrow, a move which is perceived to trigger a face-off between the district administration and the locals opposing land acquisition for the project.

"We are ready to start land acquisition work on the Posco project as per preparation. All measures will be taken to ensure that no untoward incident occurs at the project site during land acquisition”, said Sarojkant Chaudhury, additional district magistrate (Paradip).

The state Chief Secretary B K Patnaik, however, clarified that June 17 is no deadline to resume land acquisition work again for the Posco project and it is up to the district administration as to when they wish to start the process.

Raghunath Mohanty, the state minister for industries and steel & mines said, “We are not acquiring land forcibly for the Posco project. Land acquisition work is being done peacefully by the district administration and Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation of Orissa (Idco)”.

Meanwhile, the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS), the anti-Posco outfit has vowed to intensify its stir against the land acquisition work.

"People, including women and children will continue to sit in a dharana to oppose land acquisition work. Our movement against land acquisition for the Posco project will also get the support of some political parties”, said PPSS leader Abhaya Sahoo. The teams of Congress as well as BJP are scheduled to visit the Posco project site on June 18 & 19 to take stock of ground realities.