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Prohibitory orders in Posco area

BHUBANESWAR: With the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti going ahead with its plan to hold a rally on the occasion of Utkal Divas (Orissa foundation day) on April 1, the Jagatsinghpur district administration has clamped prohibitory orders at the venue of the proposed rally. The prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) were brought into force in the localities earmarked for the 12 million tonne capacity steel plant project on Wednesday evening. The Samiti has decided to organise the anti-displacement rally in view of the announcement made by Posco-India to organise the groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed plant on April 1, which also happens the foundation day of Posco.

The Samiti president Abhay Sahu has appealed to various sections of society to participate in the rally to observe Utkal Divas and also raise voice against acquisition of land for the mega steel plant project in the three gram panchayats of Dhinkia, Nuagaon and Gadakujanga in Jagatsinghpur district.

Uncertainty, however, prevails over the company’s plans to organise the groundbreaking ceremony as per its earlier announcement. According to sources, the company was likely to postpone the programme as no decision had been taken yet on the contentious issues pertaining to diversion of forestland at the project site and granting of prospecting licence for the Khandadhar iron ore mines in its favour.

The authorities, however, have tightened the security in the area apprehending clashes between villagers who are supporting and opposing the steel venture. The administration was more apprehensive because the Samiti had chosen Balitutha locality as the venue for its meeting. It was at Balitutha that hundreds of pro-project villagers had attacked anti-Posco activists on November 29 last.

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