Tribal villagers oppose Kandadhar mines to POSCO

Rourkela,May 17(UNI) Taking a cue from the agitation in Coastal Orissa against the proposed site for the POSCO steel plant, the tribals of Western Orissa have decided to oppose the handing over of Kandadhar mines to the South Korea Steel major for its mega steel plant.

Tribals spread over nearly forty villages in 5 Gram Panchayat backed by the local BJP leaders have launched anti-Khandadhar agitation under the banner of ''Khandadhar Surakhya Samittee''.

The Surakhya Samittee, in a meeting held at Bonai recently, had taken a decision not to allow POSCO to Khandadhar area and take all steps to ''save Khandadhar'', also considered as one of the important tourist spot in Orissa.

The tribals alleged that the natural beauty of Kandadhar with two attractive water falls and its greenery surroundings would be destroyed if the area was leased out to POSCO for mining iron ore.

This apart, the ecology and natural forest would be in danger affecting the livelihood of thousands of tribals who mostly depend upon the forest to eke out their living, the Samittee said.

Ironically, the BJP despite being an alliance partner of BJD-led Naveen Patnaik Government in Orissa, had been vehemently opposing the government's move to lease out the Khandadhar mines to POSCO.

BJP National Vice-President and Lok Sabha member from Sundergarh Juel Oram has also raised his objection against mining in Kandadhar on the floor of the Parliament recently.

However, POSCO-India Chairman-cum-Managing Director Soung-Sik Cho had assured that the ecology of Khandadhar would not be disturbed and they would develop the area into a tourist spot The ''Surakhya Samittee,'' meanwhile, has decided to hold a 'Mass Rally' on May 22 at Talbahali, the core area of Khandadhar, where the senior BJP leaders including Rajya Sabha MP Rudra Narayan Pani would address the rally, the BJP source said.

UNI