Posco supporters to step up stir

The villagers of Gadakujang who have been backing the Posco project have vowed to protest construction of boundary wall by the steel major over non-fulfilment of their demands.

A meeting was held on Thursday at Gadakujang to chalk out strategies to protest the construction work.

Hundreds of villagers of Noliasahi, Gadakujang, Polang, Bhuiyanpal under Gadakujang panchayat attended the meet and voiced their grievances.

The aggrieved villagers maintained they are not opposed to the Posco project per se, but were organizing the stir to fulfil the genuine demands of displaced and affected families, betel vine labourers, unemployed youths and other poverty stricken farmers.
 

The villagers alleged that Posco officials have adopted the principle of 'divide and rule' by building nexus with the local contractors to start trench cutting work for boundary wall.

They said, the start of construction work without fulfilling demands of the locals had sparked clash between the villagers and the contractors as a result of which five villagers sustained injuries while seven contractors were arrested.

"The commitment of both the district collector and the revenue divisional commissioner (central range) to fulfil our long standing demand by conducting meeting of the Rehabilitation & Periphery Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) has proved false. So, we have vowed to intensify our stir to protest the construction work in Gadkujang panchayat", said Gadakujang village chief, Jeevanlal Behera.

The affected villagers of Noliashai, Gadkujang and Polang are yet to receive compensation even after demolition of their betel vines.