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Villagers thrash three surveyors

Staff Reporter

They are staff of a firm hired by Tata Steel

BHUBANESWAR: A day after industrial houses were assured of all `support and protection' in Kalinga Nagar Industrial Complex in Jajpur district, three surveyors conducting a study for the Tata Steel were attacked by villagers on Wednesday.

In the afternoon, some 30 villagers of Gadpur, Chandia and Baligoth allegedly beat up three surveyors who came for a contour survey. The three were employees of a private firm hired by the Tata Steel. The condition of two surveyors was stated to be critical.

The district administration, which had been on its toe after the police firing incident on January 2, 2006, in which 13 tribals were killed, immediately swung into action and tightened security in the troubled region.

Expressing dissatisfaction over carrying out of survey in the Kalinga Nagar area, Jajpur district Collector Arabinda Padhi said that industrial houses were instructed not to start work without taking district administration into confidence. The Tata Steel, however, did not inform the police, he said.

A Tata Steel spokesperson here told The Hindu that the surveyors had not even informed the company before venturing near the project site and they were not working on the land identified for the project.

"The firm has completed the survey work. It is in the process of submitting the final report. It is said that the surveyors had gone to crosscheck some points in the utility corridor," he said.

The violence in 2006 was a sequel to construction of a boundary wall on the site for the proposed 6 million tonne steel project. Since then there had been palpable tension in the area over issue of displacement.

On Wednesday, the villagers reportedly attacked the surveyors to oppose any attempt that could displace them.

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