Human chain by farmers to protest steel plant

Sambalpur, Oct 27: Thousands of people, mostly farmers from four Western Orissa districts, formed a human chain from Hirakud to Burla yesterday to protest the proposed steel plant by the Mittal group at Chipilima.

The farmers, mostly drawn from Sambalpur, Bargarh, Sonepur and Jharsuguda districts, alleged that agriculture in the Hirakud command area would be severely affected if the steel plant was allowed to be set up.

They said water from the Hirakud reservoir would not be adequate to feed both industry and agriculture adding that the very purpose of constructing the Hirakud dam would be defeated with the establishment of the steel plant Activists of Sambalpur Krushak Surakshya Sangathan(SKSS) were also seen holding meetings at different places to press their demand before the government not to allow the Mittal group at Chipilima.

''At no cost, would the farmers of the region agree to a steel plant at Chipilima, a part of the Hirakud command area having potential in agricultural activities,'' the agitators said and urged the state government to refrain from such an 'anti-farmer' decision, SKSS president Ashok Pradhan said.

Such a move of the government would affect 50,000 hectares of agricultural land while lakhs of farmers and agricultural workers would lose their livelihood,Lokashakti Abhiyan convener Prafulla Samantary said.

Activists of Bargarh Samata Bhawan led by Lingaraj, the president of Samajwadi Jana Parishad, sat on National Highway 6 in front of the Hirakud railway station protesting against the steel plant. Students of the Sambalpur University also joined the human chain.

UNI