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Parties vow to fight against Posco

- Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty

On the warpath: Activists of Jagatsingpur Bikash Manch demonstrating in front of the secretariat in Bhubaneswar against Posco and Vedanta on Saturday.

BHUBANESWAR: Even after the Supreme Court gave its go ahead for diversion of forest land for bauxite mining by Sterlite Industries in Niyamgiri hills and setting up of the proposed steel plant of Posco-India in Jagatsinghpur, organisations opposing the projects have announced to intensify their agitation.

Bhakta Charan Das, president of Green Kalahandi, an organisation opposing mining of bauxite from Niyamgiri hills in Kalahandi district, said that they would strengthen the agitation against mining of the hills despite the Supreme Court order.

“The company that would be allowed to extract bauxite from Niyamgiri may plant some trees and rehabilitate the tribal families that would be displaced, but can they preserve the ecology of the region, Mr. Das queried in a statement.

Observing that the tribals of Niyamgiri area have been denied natural justice in the wake of the apex court order, Mr. Das said that Green Kalahandi will now go to the people’s court to prevent mining of the Niyamgiri hills.

Opposing the proposed mining of Niyamgiri hills, senior Congress leader and former Union Minister said no company should be allowed to extract bauxite from Niyamgiri hills.

Mr. Jena exuded confidence that the tribals living in and around Niyamgiri will continue their opposition and would not allow mining of the hills at any cost.

If at all mining activity is carried out and bauxite is extracted jointly by Orissa Mining Corporation and Sterlite Industries the ore should be put to auction and the highest bidder should purchase the same, Mr. Jena said.

On the other hand, Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti has said that the opposition to acquisition of land for the proposed steel project of Posco-India will continue in spite of the Supreme Court orders.

“We will not allow the government to acquire any land for the Posco steel project in the three gram panchayats of Dhinkia, Nuagaon and Gadakujanga at any cost,” Samiti president Abhay Sahu said.

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