Tweet
Work stopped at Posco site
With all work, including construction of coastal road connecting the proposed Posco plant site with Paradip port, stalled following a clash, the Odisha Government on Tuesday said it would wait for the ground situation to normalise before resuming project activities.
“We have sought report form the ground. The Government will review the situation before taking any decision on resumption of activities at Posco’s proposed plant site,” said Odisha chief secretary BK Patnaik.
The proposed coastal road which was considered as crucial for Posco’s mega steel project, was stalled after a clash between project opponents and the contractor group on December 14. One person was killed and about two dozen injured, sparking state-wide uproar over the violence near the Posco site.
Meanwhile, the police have arrested functionaries of construction company including Bapi Sarkhel and Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS) leaders and former CPI MLA Narayan Reddy and Congress leader Jayant Biswal.
Besides, the State Government had also shifted senior IAS officer Priyabrat Patnaik from the post of CMD of IDCO after the violence. IDCO was the agency for developing infrastructure in areas close to Posco site.
While the villagers supporting the project were demoralised over stalling of activities at the plant site, the opponents expressed happiness over the development. “Halting of work of the coastal road and other activities has come as a dampener for the villages who want the project,” said Nirvay Samantray, secretary of United Action Committee.
“They might have stopped work due to violence, but we will continue agitation till the Posco project is completely withdrawn,” said PPSS secretary Sisir Mohapatra adding they have decided to further intensify anti-project agitation. This is because, this has been the question relating to livelihood of hundreds of families in Dhinkia area, Mohapatra said.
Company officials, encouraged after setting up a transit office at Nuagaon, were also not certain about the future course of action as the situation in the proposed plant site area remained tense since the violence.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had already reiterated the Government’s stand of “peaceful industrialisation” in the State.
With all work, including construction of coastal road connecting the proposed Posco plant site with Paradip port, stalled following a clash, the Odisha Government on Tuesday said it would wait for the ground situation to normalise before resuming project activities.
“We have sought report form the ground. The Government will review the situation before taking any decision on resumption of activities at Posco’s proposed plant site,” said Odisha chief secretary BK Patnaik.
The proposed coastal road which was considered as crucial for Posco’s mega steel project, was stalled after a clash between project opponents and the contractor group on December 14. One person was killed and about two dozen injured, sparking state-wide uproar over the violence near the Posco site.
Meanwhile, the police have arrested functionaries of construction company including Bapi Sarkhel and Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS) leaders and former CPI MLA Narayan Reddy and Congress leader Jayant Biswal.
Besides, the State Government had also shifted senior IAS officer Priyabrat Patnaik from the post of CMD of IDCO after the violence. IDCO was the agency for developing infrastructure in areas close to Posco site.
While the villagers supporting the project were demoralised over stalling of activities at the plant site, the opponents expressed happiness over the development. “Halting of work of the coastal road and other activities has come as a dampener for the villages who want the project,” said Nirvay Samantray, secretary of United Action Committee.
“They might have stopped work due to violence, but we will continue agitation till the Posco project is completely withdrawn,” said PPSS secretary Sisir Mohapatra adding they have decided to further intensify anti-project agitation. This is because, this has been the question relating to livelihood of hundreds of families in Dhinkia area, Mohapatra said.
Company officials, encouraged after setting up a transit office at Nuagaon, were also not certain about the future course of action as the situation in the proposed plant site area remained tense since the violence.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had already reiterated the Government’s stand of “peaceful industrialisation” in the State.
