Bardhan threatens agitation to shift POSCO Project

Bhubaneswar, Jun 22 (UNI) CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan today threatened to continue agitation till the Orissa government reconsider its decision and shift the site of mega steel plant, proposed by South Korea steel major POSCO.

Addressing a state-level anti-POSCO convocation organised by anti -POSCO Coordination Committee, on the third anniversary of the signing of the MoU for the proposed plant, Mr Bardhan said they were not opposed to industrialisation but to the location of the plant.

The CPI leader said the plant should not be set up on the fertile land ignoring the interests of the farmers of Dhinkia, Gadakunjanga and Govindpur, who were up in arms for the past three years, opposing the plant on their land.

The government, he said, should realise that the plant was not acceptable to the people, and find out an alternative site for it.

He also condemned the death of an anti-posco activist two days back and alleged that the multinational company was behind the murder.

Demanding suitable compensation for the deceased, the CPI leader also demanded stern action against the guilty. The POSCO, he said, was trying to set up its empire through violence with active support of the state government.

The CPI leader said the Orissa government should learn a lesson from the Nandigram incident where the West Bengal government bowing to the pressure of the people dropped the idea of setting up a plant there.

He said the rich mineral resources in India should be properly utilised and not allowed to be plundered away. The multinational company should not be given any mining lease and asked to purchase raw material from the open market.

He also opposed the POSCO' s plan to set up a captive port at paradeep.

Among others former Speaker Rabi Ray, CPI(M) leader Shivaji Patnaik Anti, POSCO Coordination Committee meeting President Abani Kumar Baral also spoke on the occasion opposing the plant at the proposed site.

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