Land acquisition: Dhinkia put on the backburner

BHUBANESWAR: The State government has decided to continue with the construction work at the land acquired for Posco’s steel project despite growing opposition to land acquisition in the Dhinkia area. The problematic areas of Dhinkia and Gobindpur will be dealt with later.Chief Secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik reviewed the progress of the ` 52,000-crore steel project at a high-level meeting here on Friday. He told mediapersons that temporary suspension of land acquisition in the proposed plant site should not be treated as a deadlock.The State government is trying to resolve the vexed issue through negotiation with the agitating people. The Jagatsinghpur district administration has been asked to motivate the people in support of the mega steel project.Reiterating the State government’s commitment for peaceful industrialisation, the Chief Secretary said land will be acquired for the Posco project in a peaceful manner. He rejected allegations from the Opposition political parties, NGOs and rights bodies that land is being acquired in a forcible manner.He said the district administration has started the process of educating the people about the benefits of the project. He was hopeful that the agitating people will understand the ground reality and cooperate with the administration.RDC (Central Division) P K Mohapatra, Jagatsinghpur Collector N C Jena, DGP Manmohan Praharaj and other senior officials attended the review meeting.Steel and Mines Minister Raghunath Mohanty said there was no need for an anti-Posco agitation as the villagers were voluntarily coming forward to give their land for the project. However, some people are preventing the villagers.The State Government has so far acquired 1,800 acre land out of the total requirement of 3,719 acre. Work for the rehabilitation colony has already started, Mohanty said and added the State Government is confident of acquiring 3,719 acre of land peacefully without using force.Even as the State government claimed that villagers were ready to give their land, hundreds of children, women, elderly persons and youths continued their dharna at Gobindpur opposing land acquisition. The dharna, spearheaded by the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS), entered its 16th day on Friday.