Former Orissa CM raises fingers at POSCO deal

Bhubaneswar, Apr 22 (UNI) Former Orissa Chief Minister J B Pattnaik today questioned the various terms and condition laid by South Korea steel major POSCO for setting up of a 12 million tonne steel plant in Paradip.

Mr Pattnaik accused the Naveen Patnaik government of sacrificing the interest of the state and the people in accepting POSCO's terms 'at the cost' of the state exchequer and justified the anti-POSCO agitation.

The senior Congress leader said he would extend his support to the anti-POSCO agitation till he received a satisfactory reply from the government on the deal and the issues raised by him.

Mr Pattnaik said he was neither against industralisation nor foreign investment and welcomed the POSCO plant in Orissa but not on the terms and condition laid by the Company.

He alleged that the state government was blatantly supporting POSCO conditions sacrificing the interest of the people and the state and without taking the experts into confidence.

The leader of Opposition in Orissa Assembly said the swapping of 30 per cent of the total 600 million tonne iron ore required for the POSCO plant was actually meant to feed its two plants in Korea.

He said steel tycoon Mittal had also suggested swapping of iron ore for setting up of 12 million tonne steel plant in Jharkhand but later withdrew from the clause as the government did not agree to the proposal.But in case of POSCO the Orissa government agreed to its condition, he said.

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