Government open to discussion with all to facilitate POSCO project

Bhubaneswar, Dec 8 (UNI) The Orissa government today clarified that it was open to discussion with all the villagers in a democratic and peaceful atmosphere to facilitate the proposed POSCO steel Plant project at Jagatsinghpur.

The clarification came in the wake of newspaper report that the government was not willing to hold discussions with the persons opposing the POSCO project.

State Commerce and Transport Principal Secretary and Nodal officer for the POSCO project Priyabrata Patnaik had told newsmen here yesterday that the government would not hold any discussion with the POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, an organisation vehemently opposing the project.

A release from the Chief Minister's office today said the government was interested in facilitating the project in a peaceful manner by taking the people of the area into confidence.

Efforts had been made in this direction for the past two years and the process would continue, the release said.

The government was open to discussion with all the villagers of the area in a democratic and peaceful atmosphere, it said.

UNI