JB warns against use of force for POSCO project

Bhubaneswar, Apr 10 (UNI) Leader of Opposition in State Assembly J B Pattnaik today warned the BJD-BJP government not to use force to acquire land from the farmers for the mega steel plant proposed by South Korean steel major POSCO.

The former Chief Minister told newspersons here that the state government has mobilised nearly 20 platoons of police force at Kujang, the proposed site for the 12 million tonnes steel plant by the POSCO, to forcefully acquire the land from the farmers.

He said the state government has not learnt any lesson from the Kalinga Nagar police firing in which 13 tribals were killed for opposing the Tata's proposed steel plant in the state and the Nandigram incident in West Bengal, where 14 people were killed in police firing to protest SEZ.

The senior Congress leader said his party was not opposed to the industries, SEZ and FDI but such projects should not be allowed at the cost of the displacement of the farmers from their land.

Mr Pattnaik said ever since the state government had signed the MoU with the POSCO for the project, considered to be the largest FDI in the country, the local people raised objection to the acquisition of land for the project and launched a strong movement prohibiting the government to enter into their area.

He said if the National Test Range project, which was in the national interest could be shifted from Baliapal due to protest from the local people why the POSCO project would not be shifted to some other area.

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