Dhinkia, nerve centre of the anti-POSCO movement, which was out of bounds for government agencies — including the police — for past several years, may see the setting-up of a polling booth during the forthcoming elections.
Only recently, police teams have managed to enter the village where residents have been stoutly resisting the proposed steel mill by the South Korean steel major.
The breakthrough came when police as part of the poll preparation exercise met villagers and sought to know if they were willing to have a polling booth in their village this time.
“Villagers have given their consent for establishment of a polling booth. We are carrying on the confidence-building measures in the village,” said Jagatsinghpur district Superintendent of Police Satyabrata Bhoi on Monday.
Last election (2009), when people’s resistance to POSCO’s steel plant was at its peak, a polling booth could not be set up at Dhinkia. Villagers were requested to cast their votes in a booth at Trilochanpur, six to seven kilometers away from their homes. Many villagers had not voted last time fearing arrests as hundreds of warrants were pending against their names.
Several reasons could be attributed to change in stance this time around. The resistance to the proposed plant seems to be on the wane. Besides, many agitating villagers want to register their protest by opting the ‘None Of The Above’ option being introduced this time.
“We are not against setting up of polling booth at Dhinkia. However, we have not taken any decision whether to participate or boycott the election. Most of the villagers are apprehensive that they would be arrested if they come out open for voting,” said Prasant Paikray, spokesperson of Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS), which has been spearheading people’s resistance against the steel project.
Mr. Paikray claimed, “In around 260 cases, 2000 to 2500 residents of Dhinkia, Patna and Gobindpur villages are facing arrests. About 500 of them are women. These cases were slapped on villagers for their years-long resistance against forcible land acquisition. If this hostile situation persists, villagers might stay away from voting like the year 2009.”
Mr. Bhoi, however, differed from the PPSS’s view. “The figure on pending arrest warrants is being exaggerated. Not more than 100 villagers in 50 to 60 cases are wanted. In the run-up to the elections, we may work out on pending warrants. The government could be requested to consider dropping charges on petty offences. However, people involved in heinous crime like murder will be arrested,” he said.
Recently, Union Ministry of Environment and Forests granted environmental clearance to the steel project. In 2005, the South Korean steel major had signed a MoU for setting up of steel plant and captive port at an estimated cost of Rs. 52,000 crore. Due to stiff resistance from local villagers, the company had to bring down land requirement from 4,004 acres to 2,700 acres in the first phase. The company has, however, said once the initial phase is commissioned it would subsequently need more land to expand the plant to 12 MTPA.
Alleging that administration was involved in forcible land acquisition, people had barred police from entering their villages in 2006.
