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Bhubaneswar: Rajya Sabha member and Odisha Jana Moracha (OJM) chief Pyarimohan Mohapatra wrote a letter to Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, on Saturday, urging him not to grant SEZ status to South Korean steel major Posco.
"There is no ground for allowing SEZ status to Posco to give undue benefit to this foreign company vis-a-vis Indian steel projects. Please see that it does not form a part of your renewed MoU," said Pyari in the letter addressed to the chief minister. He also suggested the State that it should recommend withdrawal of the notification issue by the Government of India.
On the state government’s promise for supply of a specific quantity of iron ore to Posco for its Odisha project Pyari said, "Since no steel company has been allotted a specific quantity of iron ore in their MoUs, the provision for allocation of 600 million tonnes of iron ore to Posco may be replaced by the standard clause used in other MoUs."
Questioning the necessity for a captive port for the South Korean Steel company within 8 km from Paradip port the OJM chief said, "Please withdraw this clause from the renewed MoU and advise Posco to negotiate with Paradip Port Trust for necessary facilities."
In another recommendation the OJM chief said, "In the renewed MoU, please ensure that there is a clause for technology transfer, as otherwise the benefit of the FDI is not going to percolate on a long term basis."
Pyari also wrote about how to create more job opportunities for the people of the state. In the letter he asked the state government to add a provision in the MoU so that at least one lakh employment will be created by Posco while facilitating the establishment of micro, small and medium industries by the entrepreneurs of the state.
He also suggested the state government to set up a commission to go into the complaints of excessive use of force and human abuse by officials dealing with the project affected people.
The letter also emphasized on providing first rate rehabilitation facilities to the affected people especially betel vine workers.
Mohapatra's letter came at a time when the state government was about to complete the land acquisition for Posco's phase-I project.
