BHUBANESWAR: The Jajpur district administration heaved a sigh of relief on Thursday with the agitating tribals of Kalinga Nagar announcing to lift the 14-month-old road blockade agitation on their own around midnight.

After a meeting of office-bearers of the Visthapan Virodhi Janmanch, secretary of the organisation Rabindra Jarika said that they had decided to lift the blockade showing respect to the High Court order. Jarika, however, said that their opposition to the proposed six-million-ton steel plant project at Kalinga Nagar would continue till the issue was fully resolved.

The administration was happy over the Janmanch decision as the High Court had fixed March 9 as deadline for the Government to remove the blockade. Tribals of Kalinga Nagar had been blocking the Daitari-Paradip highway since January 2 when 13 tribals were killed in police firing while opposing construction of a boundary wall for the Tata Steel project. "We are happy that Janmanch has announced to lift the road blockade showing respect to the High Court direction," Jajpur district Collector Arabinda Kumar Padhee said.

Responding to a letter from the Janmanch, a letter had been sent to the tribals from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's office on Wednesday saying the agitation should not be linked to other issues.

Review of cases

As regards the demands of the tribals, Mr. Padhee said the process of dialogue with the agitating tribals would continue and necessary steps taken about review of the cases registered against the tribals. The road blockade caused serious embarrassment to the Government as it had not been able to convince the tribals till the High Court passed orders for removal of the blockade while hearing a public interest petition.

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