Land acquisition for Posco plant starts,relief given

POSCO,the biggest foreign direct investment in India,on Tuesday took a step closer to building the 12 million tonne steel complex...

POSCO,the biggest foreign direct investment in India,on Tuesday took a step closer to building the 12 million tonne steel complex by giving out compensation packages to the displaced farmers.

The South Korean steel major,which has been facing resistance to its land acquisition plans in three gram panchayats,on Tuesday tasted success as the Jagatsinghpur district administration began land acquisition for the proposed project. Betel vine farmers Rohit Behera and Basant Behera of Bhuyanpal village under Gadakujanga gram panchayat received cheques of Rs 1.15 lakh each for their land of over 10 decimal area used for betel cultivation. Rohit Behera,incidentally was at the forefront of anti-Posco movement.

Jagatsinghpur District Collector Narayan Jena said the betel vines were acquired after proper verification.

Posco is giving out Rs 400 crore compensation that would benefit 2000 encroachers and landless labourers. While Rs 100 crore will be provided for the acquisition of land,Rs 100 crore will be given towards rehabilitation and Rs 200 crore as compensation to encroachers of government land.

However,the district administration could not proceed further as several villagers objected to the boundaries of the betel vines decided by the government officials. The members of the United Action Committee prevented four villagers from taking their compensation.

The company this month announced a compensation of Rs 11.5 lakh an acre for the loss of betel vines,. There are about 1,877 betel vines in the site covering 300 acres. Landless labourers working in the betel vines will get 20 per cent of the total compensation for the loss,which is over and above the amount paid to the owners of the areas. The company announced an unemployment allowance of Rs 2,250 a month to landless labourers,.

However,a member of the N C Saxena Committee of Union ministries of Environment and Forests and Tribal Affairs termed the land acquisition without implementing the Forest Land Rights Act as illegal. Committee member Ashish Kothari on Tuesday said it is illegal to acquire land until the people get their land pattas under the Forest Rights Act. If the state government violates norms under the Act,we will recommend to Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to withdraw or stay the forest clearance given to Posco, said Kothari.