Naveen to ‘look into’ Jairam’s letter on Posco project

The chief minister who was reluctant to visit Posco’s proposed plant site villages near Paradip due to prolonged agitation,received an e-mail from Ramesh on the objections raised by the anti-project brigade on Monday.

“I have just received an e-mail communication from Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti. A copy is attached. I thought I should bring this to your attention keeping in view the responsibilities of state governments over Forest Rights Act,2006,” Ramesh said in an e-mail to Patnaik.

PPSS in its letter to Ramesh had requested the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) to reject the state government’s assurance report on Forest Rights Act,2006.

Apprehending that the state government would maintain its stand that there was no tribal or any other traditional forest dweller (OTFD) living in the proposed plant site villages,PPSS claimed that they were genuine OTFD.

The body had already submitted several documents with MoEF claiming that the residents of seven villages demarcated to house Posco’s plant,were dependent on forest land for their livelihood.

“We have decided to launch a state-wide agitation if the state government maintains its earlier stand that no tribal or any other traditional forest dwellers will live in the proposed plant site areas,” said PPSS spokesman Srikant Paikray.

PPSS,an agrarian body backed by CPI had been opposing establishment of Rs 52,000 crore Posco steel project since the

company signed MoU with the state government in 2005.

“The local people have ensured that the company does not acquire an inch of land for the purpose of setting up the steel plant,” PPSS president Abhay Sahu said,adding they were ready to sacrifice lives to protect their homes and fertile land.

Meanwhile,the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights on Tuesday alleged at a media conference here that human rights of scheduled caste population living in seven villages under Ersama block in Jagatsinghpur was badly hit due to the proposed mega steel project.

The organisation said it would move National Human Rights Commission,Schedule Caste Commission and other bodies in order to protect rights of Dalits.