Orissa DGP, IDCO CMD visit Posco area

Bhubaneswar, Feb 12 (PTI) As part of Orissa government''splan to resume work at the proposed plant site of South Koreansteel major Posco near Paradip, Director General of Police andCMD of Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation todayundertook a joint survey of the troubled area.

DGP Manmohan Praharaj and IDCO CMD Priyabrat Patnaikvisited Posco''s proposed captive port site at Jatadhar nearthe sea and other peripherial areas of the proposed plantsite but refrained from going to the plant site villages wherepeople erected bamboo gates to prevent the entry of governmentofficials and company staff.

The state government had stopped land acquisition work atthese villages in August last year in view of a "stop work"order from the Ministry of Enviornment and Forest (MoEF).

However, with the Ministry giving conditional clearanceto the Posco project on January 31, the state government wastaking measures to resume work and complete land acquisition,sources said.

"IDCO is supposed to construct the road to the plant siteand the boundary wall. Therefore, we visited the area to seethe ground situation," Patnaik told reporters after the duospent about two hours in the area.

There was, however, no opposition to the DGP and IDCOCMD''s visit as their programme was made without any priorinformation.