Tension at Posco site after clashes

Tension prevailed in Noliasahi village under the Posco project site due to clashes between supporters and opponents of the project in which four persons including a panchayat committee member were injured.

The clashes occurred following altercation between the two groups over disappearance of seven tribal families from the site before the visit of a Central team and their re-appearance after the Central team left the area.

The Posco opponents had refuted the claim of the district administration that there were no tribals living in the site and produced a voters list before the visiting team to point out that seven tribal families were staying in Polang village. A tribal woman, Meena Hembrum was a ward member from the ward no 9 of Gadkujang panchayat. They further alleged that the district officials had shifted these families out of the village two days before the visit of the Central team to prove there were no tribals in the project area.