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Bhubaneswar: The Jagatsinghpur district administration decided to halt the land acquisition for Posco plant for a day and withdraw the forces temporarily from Govindpur area after holding discussion with the protesters who staged a demonstration at Govindpur village at 12 noon on Wednesday with some Left leaders.
“After holding discussion with the protesters and some political leaders who demanded withdrawal of forces, we have decided to halt the operation for the day withdrawing the forces from the village. We also appraised the matter to the Government. Next course of action regarding the land acquisition will be taken as per the decision of the Government,” Collector SK Mallik said.
The administration started dismantling the betel vines Wednesday morning and completed demolishing 14 vineyards at around 12 noon disbursing about Rs 26 lakh cheques to the cultivators while plant protesters led by some CPI leaders took out a procession and staged dharna at the land acquisition site. They demanded withdrawal of forces from the village alleging that the police are using muscle power for the land.
The local communist leaders continue protest with anti-posco people ahead of the visit of CPI National Secretary and MP D Raja who is scheduled to visit Govindpur village on Wednesday.
According to party sources, Raja along with a delegation of MPs belonging to CPI, CPI (M), Forward Bloc, RSP and others is planning to draw attention of President Pranab Mukherjee about the land acquisition process of the state government in which police excess is alleged. It is also learnt that some Left party MPs would raise Posco issue in the ensuing session of Parliament.
Meanwhile, Ashok Sahu-led BJP fact finding team which visited Dhinkia panchayat’s Govindpur village yesterday alleged that the state government’s claim of peacefully conducting the land acquisition was false.
On the other hand, a Congress delegation led by Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) chief Niranjan Patnaik met Governor MC Bhandare and lodged protests over the land acquisition process taken up by the state government.
Refuting charges leveled by the political parties Jagatsinghpur SP Satyabrata Bhoi said, “The land acquisition process is very smooth so far and we hope it is hastened with the co-operation of Govindpur villagers.”
Notably, 41 betel vines were dismantled in past three days and cheques to the tune of Rs 91 lakh were disbursed to the beneficiaries.
