UCCI flays UN experts' call to halt Posco project

The Utkal Chamber of Commerce & Industry (UCCI), the apex body of industries in the state, took a dig at the recent call of the UN panel to halt the $ 12 billion Posco's steel project in the Jagatsingpur district of the state.

The United Nations independent human rights experts had called for the suspension of the steel project, touted as the largest FDI in India, expressing serious concern over the displacement and rehabilitation of the project affected people.

The UN experts had pointed out that the project would displace over 22,000 people in the district, and disrupt the livelihoods of many thousands more in the surrounding area.
 

"We like to draw your attention that the facts taken in your report are not true. Moreover, without visiting the site and talking to cross-section of people, (both anti and supporter of Posco) publishing a report basing on the facts submitted to you by some NGOs who are mainly anti-Posco activists is not expected from a renowned office like, UNO," Debabrata Dash, Secretary, UCCI wrote to Magdalena Sepulveda, UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty & Human Rights.

Dash said, putting the number of displaced people at 22,000 is not based on facts.

"The total population under three panchayats and seven village hamlets at the Posco project site are far less than 20,000. Moreover, 3200 acres, out of 4004 acres required for the project belongs to the state government is handed over to Posco India is not coming under land acquisition, but a case of evacuation out of the government land," he clarified.

The chamber pointed out that no single displacement has taken place in the project area.

The entire area is reclaimed land under government record without any inhabitation. So, no single displacement has taken place. On the encroached land, the beetle vines were taken over by the state government after paying due compensation to the people and the vine workers are being paid a stipend of Rs 2,250 per month till their permanent engagement in the construction of Posco India project, Dash wrote refuting the claims of the UN experts panel.

He also rebutted the panel's opinion on the government giving Posco land, water and mines at a nominal rate and claimed that all allocations are as per the prescribed norms.

"It seems from your report that it is another conspiracy to slow down the industrialisation process in Odisha," the UCCI general secretary said in the letter.