Tension mounts at Posco site

BHUBANESWAR: Tension mounted at the Posco’s proposed site for a 12-million-tonne steel project as anti-Posco activists on Sunday took out a huge rally in the Dhinkia village near Paradip, about 100 km from here, and pledged to fight until the very end.

They also participated in a mock-drill where they displayed about 30 sophisticated pistols, about 50 to sixty live crude bombs and more than a dozen kind of knifes, arrows and bows.

The mock drill was practiced under the surveillance of the president of Posco Pratirodha Sangram Samiti, Abhya Sahu. “We will not allow Posco to set up its plant,” he reiterated.

Highly reliable sources said few Maoists- comprising three Tamilians and five Nepalis-have already sneaked into the areas. They imparted training to the youths on how to use the weapons. However, police has not yet confirmed the claims.

Meanwhile, the nodal officer for Posco-India project Priyabrata Patnaik said the forest demarcation work will begin within two days.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday reiterated that work at the construction site will begin from April 1. “We have already received a proposal from Posco Authority,” he said.