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Police withdrawal from Kalinga Nagar sought

BHUBANESWAR: Several organisations spearheading people’s movements in the State here on Saturday staged demonstration demanding withdrawal of police forces from Kalinga Nagar, the upcoming steel hub of the country, in Orissa’s Jajpur district.

“TATA Steel has been facing protest from local people for its proposed six million tonne per annum capacity steel plant in Kalinga Nagar area. The opposition had reached a flash point when 14 tribals were killed in police firing while the company was trying to build boundary wall around its project area in 2006,” said P. Samantra of Lok Shakti Abhijan.

Mr. Samantara alleged as company and the administration had failed to convince people during past three years, they were now trying to target people who were leading the movement.

“The district administration has become a party to oppressive tactics being adopted by the company to crush the people’s movement in the area. People who are opposed to the proposed project have been denied welfare schemes such as provision of drinking water and roads,” he charged.

Activists demanded government should pull police forces out of Kalinga Nagar area, withdraw ‘false cases’ filed against tribals and scrap the steel project by TATA Steel. Among other organisations Posco Pratiroadh Sangram Samiti, Jala Surakshya Manch, Lok Sangram Manch, Basti Surakshya Manch and Prachi Chasi Meli participated in the demonstration.

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