Special Correspondent, The Hindu
Public meet of the people opposing the steel project will be held at Dhinkia tomorrow
Samiti to observe June 22 as ‘Black day’
Navnirman Samiti flays PPSS leaders

BHUBANESWAR: A day after its leaders held a meeting with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti on Monday said it was planning to take various steps to intensify its agitation against establishment of the proposed steel project of Posco India Private Limited at the site selected in Erasama area of Jagatsinghpur district.

“There was no question our agitation against displacement losing strength after the meeting with the Chief Minister,” spokesman of the PPSS Prashant Paikray said.

A public meeting of the people opposing the steel project will be held at Dhinkia village on Wednesday to decide about the future course of action, Mr. Paikray said.

Survey work

Countering the criticism against the PPSS that its agitation will lose momentum after it agreed to allow survey work for the steel project during their meeting with the Chief Minister on Sunday, Mr. Paikray said the survey would not hamper their agitation as the people had vowed to continue their agitation for shifting of the project site.

The agitation will further gain momentum if the State government rejects PPSS’ demand for shifting of the project site after the Chief Minister’s visit to the gram panchayats of Dhinkia, Nuagaon and Gadakunjang, Mr. Paikray said.

He said that PPSS will also observe June 22 as ‘Black day’ like the previous years.

It was on June 22, 2005 that the State government and Posco had signed the memorandum of understanding for establishment of the steel plant.

PPSS leaders flayed

Meanwhile, Navnirman Samiti, an organisation which has been opposing the steel project from the beginning, criticised the PPSS leaders for their decision to allow survey work.

Stating that the project would cause heavy loss to the country in terms of captive mining, use of river water, loss of land and displacement of thousands of people, the Samiti convener Akshay Kumar said they would mobilise public opinion against the venture across the State in the coming days and demand for withdrawal of the project.

Related posts:

1. Join us in Govindpur: Appeal from POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samti ( PPSS)
2. Police enter villages opposed to POSCO project
3. Posco MoU to expire on 22nd June