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Displaced villagers put UAIL on notice

— Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty

UP IN ARMS: Salme Majhi, a displaced villager, speaking at the demonstration by the affected villagers in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.

BHUBANESWAR: A group of villagers, who were displaced by controversial Utkal Alumina International Limited (UAIL) in Kashipur block of Rayagada district, staged a demonstration seeking better compensation here on Saturday.

They threatened to launch indefinite fast in front of the residence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik if the company did not respond to their 38-point charter of demands in 24 hours.

Since February 27, nearly 147 families of Kendukhunti, Tala Karol and Ramibeda villages who were displaced by the proposed project have been sitting on a dharna in front of the main gate of the plant site.

The villagers, who were displaced in January 2006, did not have any other livelihood option and if the company would not revise its compensation package, people would reoccupy their lost land, warned Chitrasen Naik, secretary of association of displaced and affected residents.

“We want Rs. 10 lakh per acre of agricultural land and Rs. 5 lakh per acre of wasteland. Moreover, company should give Rs. 25 lakh per acre of homestead land and permanent job to us in the upcoming alumina project,” Mr. Naik said.

The other demands included proper rehabilitation colony for displaced families, reservation in future employment and preferences in contract for taking up different developmental works.

“We had earlier submitted our demands to Chief Minister, district magistrate, superintendent of police and other government officials. But after nearly two months we were yet to be intimated about company’s response,” he said.

UAIL, which is a wholly owned by subsidiary of Indalco, had been one of the most controversial industrial projects in Orissa.

The project was first conceived in early nineties when Indalco was not even in the picture.

Several international and national companies participated in the venture, but the project never took off due to protest by local people.

The Prakrutik Sampad Surakshya Parishad (PSSP), which had taken a lead in opposing the project, too extended its support to the demands of the alumina project-displaced families in the district.

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