Protests against land acquisition for Posco project
Prafulla Das
BHUBANESWAR: Tension prevailed in the area chosen for the proposed Posco steel project in Orissa's Jagatsinghpur on Friday after 17 persons opposing land acquisition for the venture were taken into custody.
They include Basudev Behera, Panchayat Samiti member of Gadakujang gram panchayat and vice-president of Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, the organisation leading the anti-Posco agitation since 2005, four women and five children.
The villagers, who were picked up by the policemen from Noliasahi area for blocking the way for the land acquisition officials to prevent destruction of their betel vines, were released after five hours upon their furnishing personal bonds, according to spokesperson of the Sangram Samiti Prashant Paikray.
The land acquisition process continued amid heavy police presence.
A total of 41 betel vines were destroyed.
Armed with the approval of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests for diversion of a large tract of forest land for the steel project, the authorities have so far overrun 475 betel vines belonging to 474 persons since May 18, acquiring a total of 44 acres of forest land. Rs. 5.11crore has been paid as compensation.
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