At a time when villagers in Odisha’s Paradip region were hoping to get back their land acquired for mega steel project proposed by South Korean steel major POSCO following return of land to farmers in Singur by West Bengal government under a Supreme Court ruling, the Odisha government on Thursday indicated it had no such plan.
In response to a query, State Industries Minister Debi Prasad Mishra informed the House that Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation, the nodal government agency which facilitates infrastructure of industrial projects, had facilitated 1723.28 acres of government land in eight villages for the steel plant proposed by POSCO.
There was uncertainty prevailing with regards to land acquired for South Korean company, which appeared to have put its steel project on the back burner.
Mr. Mishra, however, said POSCO had not officially intimated the State’s Steel and Mines Department about abandoning the project.
“As per government’s decision, the land acquired and handed over to POSCO would be kept in control of IDCO. Steps are being taken to construct boundary wall around the acquired land,” he said.
Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS), the organisation which spearheaded protest against land acquisition in the Paradip area, said: “We are going to start a movement for restoring acquired land with the affected villagers from next month”.
