The Hindu Business Line : Activists to intensify agitation against POSCO

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 19 Even as Korean steel major on Friday indicated in New Delhi that it would commence work on its mega steel project on April 1 next, which happens to be the foundation day of the State as well as the company, the organisation opposing the venture said that it would intensify its agitation in the days to come."

April 1, 2008 will never come for POSCO. We will organise all our children and youths to lead the resistance against the steel project,” said Mr Abhay Sahu, President of POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti.

Stating that PPSS was not against industrialisation, Mr Sahu said that his organisation was against destruction of an established agriculture based economy in the name of industry.

The PPSS leader claimed that people in as many as 11 villages were opposing the steel project of POSCO as they would lose their homes and the land that gives them livelihood support.

Mr Sahu squarely blamed the State Government for taking a decision to hand over to the company land under three gram panchayats of Dhinkia, Gadakujang and Nuagaon in Erasama Block of Jagatsinghpur District without consulting the local people.

“By do so, the Government had avoided this democratic process and this had added to the whole problem,” Mr Sahu told Business Line over the phone from Dhinkia on Friday evening.

As regards eruption of violence in the area earmarked for the steel project from time to time, Mr Sahu put all the blame on the Government.

“The Government was keeping mum whenever the company was using anti-social forces against the innocent villagers opposing the steel project,” he said.

How should the stalemate end? “ The Government should avoid Erasama Block and decide on the fate of the proposed steel project through political consensus at the State level,” Mr Sahu said.

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