Intensifying stir against the POSCO project in Orissa, about half-a-dozen anti-displacement groups today joined hands to unitedly oppose the South Korean steel major's plan of establishing a mega plant near Paradip.
Intensifying stir against the POSCO project in Orissa, about half-a-dozen anti-displacement groups today joined hands to unitedly oppose the South Korean steel major's plan of establishing a mega plant near Paradip.
Leaders of anti-displacement groups opposing steel projects at Kalinga Nagar in Jajpur district, an aluminium project at Kashipur in Rayagada district, ArcelorMittal's proposed steel plant in Keonjhar, Vedanta's mining plan at Niyamgiri in Kalahandi district and Khandadhar Surakshya Manch in Sundargarh district attended the ani-POSCO meet here.
The convention organised by POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS) decided to invite Members of Parliament (MPs) of four left parties, TDP, SP and RJD to jointly verify the state government's claim that no non-tribal forest dwellers existed at the proposed plant site area of POSCO.
"The MPs will visit the area on March 13 as part of PPSS's 'Dhinkia Chalo' movement. They can see who is telling lies," said PPSS president Abhay Sahu accusing the state government of misleading the Centre on existence of non-tribal forest dwellers at three gram panchayats near Paradip.
Stating that both (NC) Saxena Committee and Meena Gupta Committee appointed by the ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) have observed that Forest Right Act, 2006 (FRA) was not properly implemented in Dhinkia area, Sahu said the state government refused to admit the fact that hundreds of people earned their livelihood from forest land.
"Let the MPs verify the truth," Dhinkia grampanchayat sarpanch Sisir Mohapatra said adding villagers on February 21 and 23 in separate 'palli sabhas' at Dhinkia and Govindpur respectively resolved to implement FRA in letter and spirit.
The Palli sabhas have passed resolution opposing the establishment of the proposed 12 mtpa steel project in the two gram panchayats of Dhinkia and Govindpur.
Besides anti-displacement groups, civil right activists, Congress leader Umesh Swain and former-MP Braja Kishore Tripathy also opposed Posco project tooth and nail.
They accused the state government of suppressing a democratic movement by using force.
"We will continue the stir against POSCO until the project is scrapped," Sahu said asking the people to cooperate with the agitation to oust the South Korean steel major.
The convention also resolved to observe a day as POSCO Pratirodh Diwas across the country, he said.
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