After a few days lull, the proposed Posco plant site in Orissa’s Jagatsinghpur district on Saturday witnessed noisy scenes with anti-project activists preventing start of construction of a coastal road.
Activists of Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS) chased a group of people who had been to an area under Dhinkia panchayat along the sea for construction of a coastal road.
The proposed coastal road is planned to be laid from the Paradip Oil Refinery to Posco area, the foundation for which was laid yesterday.
As the contractor and workers were proceeding to the site during the day, PPSS activists protested the move and chased them away, official sources said.
The district administration had a tough time in convincing a large number of protesters who blocked the road at Gadakujanga by erecting bamboo baricades.
Like the protests at Gobindpur and Nuagaon, the protestors at Gadakujanga included women and children under the banner of Kunjabehary Anchalik Surakshya Samittee (KASS) since August 16.
Gadakujanga is one of the three routes to Posco site from Balitutha junction. The other routes through Gobindpur and Nuagaon remained blocked by PPSS and United Action Committee (UAC), a pro-industry outfit.
The district administration along with police force and a magistrate went to Gadakujanga to convince the protesters to lift the agitation as all works including tree felling, ground levelling and removal of betel vines remained suspended since August 16.
“We had discussion with them. We will resume the work at Posco site after convincing the people”, Additional District Magistrate, Paradip, Surajit Das said.
Leaders of KASS alleged that police had converted Posco area into their fiefdom through “dagagiri”.
“Unless and until our demands are met we will not allow the administration to undertake work”, they said.
