Medha Patkar faces resistance in POSCO area

Paradeep, Dec 11(UNI) Narmada Bachao Andolon leader Medha Patkar today faced opposition from the supporters of POSCO steel project during her visit to the trouble torn villages which had witnessed violent clashes between pro and anti POSCO agitators recently.

On her arrival at Cuttack early this morning, Ms Patkar proceeded to Jagatsinghpur to lead a rally against the deployment of police forces in the villages where the South Korea steel major POSCO planned to set up a 12 MTPA steel plant at an estimated cost of Rs 52,000 crore, the largest FDI in the country.

However, on her way to Nuagaon village, she was stopped by the Pro-POSCO supporters who asked her not to come their villages with outsiders to disturb the peaceful atmosphere.

Family members who were ousted by anti-POSCO agitators from the Dhinkia village for supporting the project tried to stop her enter into the village and asked her where was she when they were driven out from their village.

The social activist said she was not opposed to any project but made it clear that no project could be set up by using force. She remarked that the matter should be resolved through dialogue.

In Nuagaon, Medha Patkar faced a peculiar problem as the villagers refused to talk to her during her visit. Sources said the village committee last night resolved to impose a fine of Rs 5000 if any villager dared to talk to her.

She is scheduled to visit Dhinkia village, the bastion of the anti-POSCO agitators, now being surrounded by police after the November 29 violence between the pro and anti POSCO agitators.

In Bhubaneswar Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik reacted to the visit of Medha Patkar and leading a rally at Jagatsinghpur against the POSCO project saying that she(Medha Patkar) must understand the poverty and backwardness of a poor state like Orissa.

UNI