Other States - Orissa   

Public campaign activists go Net savvy

Satyasundar Barik

Portal,www.kalinganagar.com,to be launched soon

BHUBANESWAR: When Bhagavan Majhi, a tribal leader, issues a statement from Kucheipadar village of Orissa's Rayagada district against Utkal Alumina Industries Limited (UAIL), it takes time to reach the state's capital city.

But it instantly communicates to `invisible' activists sitting far away in Montreal as Canadian aluminum major Alcan was a major partner that recently decided to part with the UAIL venture at Kashipur in Rayagada.

Similarly, when any decision is taken by London Stock Exchange-listed Vedanta Resources Plc's alumina refinery project at remote Lanjigarh of Kalahandi district, it is circulated with attachment of an analysis among scores of intellectuals and activists within no time.

If a student desires not to attend school protesting South Korean steel major POSCO's venture in Jagatsinghpur district, the mail boxes of people involved in communication business get jammed with forward mails in the evening.

State's share

Orissa's share in web space has suddenly become clamorous with people's movements building up against recent industrialisation drive.

Call it a `misinformation campaign' or `counter attack to propaganda' by companies, the battle has really elevated to a different stage.

A visit to these links, kashipursolidarity.tripod.com, vedantauniv.blogspot.com, freewebs.com/epgorissa/ or sending a request to information feeders on movements such as independent.media@gmail.com and forestrights@yahoogroups.com, one gets a feeling of as to how intellectual shoots of grassroots movement are active in the web space.

In the next few months, www.kalinganagar.com, with a tagline of `a forum to support common man's voice!' is on its ways to contribute to the campaign on web.

People's movement against UAIL venture took 10 long years to reach a flash point. But now, any news on public hearing or company's expansion plan is getting circulated beforehand.

The reason behind prompt reactions from activists outside the State on any development in POSCO project area could be attributed fast communication through Internet and concerns converging on web platform.

"What is harm in it? If somebody could contribute within his capacity for a greater cause, nothing is more satisfactory than it.

The fight against multinational companies and their mischievous design could only be countered by a concerted effort.

And the web is the best medium to do that," Debjeet Sarangi, a Bhubaneswar-based activist, said.

Aware of the fact, POSCO, which is facing stiff resistance in the ground, has launched website in both English and Oriya languages to communicate to the people in a best possible manner, it is, however, far away from achieving desired success.

Of late, activists have made the web as an effective medium to share information on Orissa Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Katha Rakhibaa Sarakar campaign and state's natural resources.

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