Paradip, May 20: The land acquisition drive for the 12-million-tonne Posco project today slowed down considerably in the face of protests even as the Jagatsinghpur district administration announced suspension of the exercise for the next 48 hours.

“There would no land acquisition on May 21 and 22. The work will resume on May 23. By that time we are hopeful that the dispute over compensation and livelihood support package would be amicably settled. The landowners have mostly stayed away in protest. That’s why the exercise has been affected,” said Saroj Kanta Choudhury, additional district magistrate (ADM), Paradip. The United Action Committee (UAC), friend-turned-foe of the administration, hailed it as a moral victory even as it warned the government of further intensifying its agitation.

“Postponing the work for two days indicates that the non-cooperation movement launched by the people has forced the government to have a re-look into our just demands,” said UAC president Anadi Charan Rout.

However, officials said the suspension had nothing to do with the protests. Only two betel farms measuring 12.43 decimal were acquired in a four-hour-long operation today. This is in sharp contrast to the 1.52 acres acquired on Wednesday and 72 decimal acquired yesterday.

“The landowners, probably under pressure from the UAC, did not turn up for the measurement of their farms. Two landowners could not be disbursed compensation cheques because of some dispute,” said Kujang tehsildar Vasudev Behera, adding that 20 betel vine plots were measured again.

Vatsa Behera, one of the betel vineyard owners, whose plot the administration claimed to have acquired, alleged that he had been forced to give away his land. “I was assured of compensation at the rate of more than Rs 11.50lakh per acre. I did not agree but my betel farm was pulled down forcefully. However, I protested and did not accept the Rs 91,000 cheque despite being cajoled by officials,” he alleged.

Sujeet Das, project director, rehabilitation and resettlement for Posco project, refuted the allegation saying Behera did not receive the cheque as there was some family dispute over the ownership of the farm. Choudhary said neither force nor inducement was being used to influence the land owners. “Whatever land has been acquired till date has been done with their full consent and approval,” he said.