Posco survey kicks off with consent of UAC

Six teams to complete job

The much awaited survey work on the Rs 54,000-crore Posco project, which was stalled for more than two years, kicked off today at the project sites at Nuagaon and Gadkujang panchayats in Jagatsinghpur district with the cooperation of the United Action Committee (UAC), a pro-Posco outfit active in the area.

The villagers of Nuagaon and Gadkujang panchayats and the UAC members, who were earlier stiffly opposed to the commencement of the survey work prior to the finalization of the compensation package, were convinced following the intervention of the local MLA Prasant Muduli.

Six survey teams comprising 30 officials had to wait at Kujang for eight hours before starting the survey work as the UAC members had not given their consent. Meanwhile, Jagatisnghpur district collector, Narayan Jena said, the enumeration of peoples’ possession and land position including the farm land, betel vines, prawn gheris and cashew plantation will be taken up during the survey which will continue for about two weeks.

Initially, the surveyors will keep out of Dhinkia village, the stronghold of Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, which is spearheading agitation against the project.

He, however, said, administration will hold talks with PPSS representative during this week to thrash out a amicable solution to the Posco problem.

Special Land Acqusition Officer of Paradip Nrusingh Swain informed that two teams have been pressed into service to start survey work at Bhuiyanpal and Noliasahi with the cooperation of villagers.

The survey work will start in a full-fledged manner from Wednesday and no police forces were deployed during today’s survey, he stated. Out of six teams, two teams will conduct forest survey for valuation of tress and token will be issued to each family during survey. After valuation, compensation would be given to the betel vine losers at their door step.

A fact finding team led by former justice of Mumbai High Court H Suresh visited the proposed Posco sites at Dhinkia, Gobindpur, Patana and other villages in Jagatsinghpur district on Tuesday to ascertain the facts relating to the allegations of police action against innocent people. The team interacted with the project affected villagers and also with Abhaya Sahoo, leader, Posco Pratirodha Sangram Samiti (PPSS), the organization at the forefront of the anti-Posco agitation in the state. During the negotiations, Sahoo said that PPSS is determined not to allow land acquisition process at the project site at any cost.