Posco Resistance

Resistance to POSCO steel project in Orissa gains momentum

Jagatsinghpur (Orissa), Apr 11: Farmers unwilling to give up their land for India's largest-ever foreign investment project, POSCO steel project in Orissa say they will oppose the proposed project.

The enraged farmers have said they had prepared an anti-POSCO army, which would comprise women and children as well, to save their lands from the acquisition.

"We have prepared our anti POSCO fighters to confront police and administration. We have proposed to deploy our children first, women second and gents third. We are ready to face the challenges," said Abhay Swain, Convener of an anti-POSCO organisation.

Anti-POSCO activists said they were not going to soften their opposition, and accused the State Government of sending extra police forces to the area.

The activists have demanded that the plant should be shifted to barren land.

Angry farmers have erected a bamboo gate at the entrance to the village of Dhinkia to keep outsiders away.

However, officials said they were ready to thwart any unlawful opposition from the farmers.

"What ever illegal opposition, whatever undemocratic opposition, whatever violent opposition, that will never be allowed and action as per law will be stringently taken and we are committed to ensure the rule of law prevails in the area," said Jaswant Jetwa, Superintendent of Police, Jagatpursingh district.

Sixteen platoons of policemen have reached the area and a flag-march was staged on Tuesday evening.

The Korean firm has acquired 1,135 acres out of the total 4,000 acres it needs for the project.

In January 2006, 13 people were shot and killed by police during a protest over a plant proposed by Tata Steel in Kalinga Nagar in Orissa.

Copyright Dailyindia.com/ANI

Green cry over Posco 'pollution'

Bhubaneswar, April 13: Non-government organisations and environmentalists today piled heat on South Korean steelmaker Posco and the state government, raising concerns that heavy police deployment in the project-affected villages would severely limit public participation in mass hearing of acquiring environmental clearance of the 12-million tonne steel plan.

The Environmental Protection Act mandates that the state pollution control board would have to conduct public hearing on the rapid environmental impact assessment (REIA) report of a industrial project with a wider public participation.

The written/oral suggestions of people would then be sent to Union ministry of environment and forests for obtaining the clearance. The OSPCB has set April 15 as the date for the public hearing.

With 12 platoons of police encircling the three gram panchayats of Dhinkia, Gadakujanga and Nuagaon, leading NGO Action Aid today raised fears that foulplay can’t be ruled out.

“A public hearing should be conducted in a systematic and transparent manner, ensuring widest public participation. Such disregard of due process at best points to ignorance of official procedure and at worst, connivance between the state and Posco to manufacture consensus without the consent of those affected,” said Madhumita Ray of Action Aid India.

A press release from Action Aid said many villagers in the area may not attend the public hearing as the venue is located 20-25 km away from their homes.

But a Posco spokesperson said the company was not responsible for the heavy security that may prevent mass local participation in the public hearing.

“Maintenance of law and order is a subject of local administration. The onus is on the government and we are only complying with the instructions. We neither have a choice or say on this subject,” said Posco spokesperson Shashanka Patnaik.

Environmentalist and secretary of Wildlife Society of Orissa Biswajit Mohanty also filed a written objection to the REIA with the OPCB alleging that the Posco port at Jatadharimuhan creek would severely affect the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary, world’s largest rookery of Olive Ridley turtles, only 30 km away.

An environmental scientist of US-based non-profit organisation Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide also raised fears that the South Korean company’s%2