Members of five political parties protest near Raj Bhavan in Bhubaneswar against the land acquisition process for Posco in Jagatsinghpur. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Paradip/Bhubaneswar, May 16: Land acquisition process for the Posco project is likely to be delayed by another few days even though the Jagatsinghpur district administration today said that the process would start from May 18 as scheduled.

Jagatsingpur district collector Narayan Chandra Jena said: “We will seek people’s cooperation for the land acquisition process. It is likely to go ahead as per the programme announced. However, I cannot definitely say that the process would start on May 18. Keeping the local conditions in mind, the decision will be made at the last moment.”

On May 7, nodal officer for the project Priyabrata Patnaik announced that the land acquisition process would start from May 18. To win the locals’ confidence, the district administration today held a marathon meeting with the United Action Committee (UAC). However, the meeting failed to reach a consensus as the outfit remained stuck to its stand of enhancement of relief, livelihood support package for the would-be-displaced families.

Chief secretary Bijay Patnaik said: “The date for the land acquisition process will be decided keeping the local condition in mind. The district administration will take a final call on this issue.”

Earlier, the Orissa government had announced that the land acquisition process would start from May 18. “However, no date is sacrosanct,” said Patnaik.

In yet another development, the Posco officials today met steel and mines secretary Manoj Ahuja and held discussion about the proposed project. They also assured that it would follow the Orissa government’s policy on giving more employment to the local people.

“They will set up the 12MTPA in a three-phase manner. We are examining all the norms before renewing the MoU,” said steel and mines minister Raghunath Mohanty.

Opposing the Orissa government’s move to acquire land for the project, the five political parties — CPI, CPI(M), Forward Block, RJD and Samjwadi Party — today staged a dharna in front of Raj Bhavan and said government should refrain from making any attempt to acquire land.

As the stand-off continues, indications are that Jagtsinghpur administration would hold another round of talks with the outfit members very shortly to end the imbroglio.

“A decision about deferment of land acquisition is yet to be taken. However, there would be yet another round of talks with the UAC office bearers,” said Ersama block development officer Muralidhar Swain. “We had requested for cooperation and whole-hearted support for the May 18 land acquisition process. But, they were adamant and remained unbending,” said officials.

“Against our expectation that the officials would make announcement on enhancing the relief package, they asked us to patiently wait till the Orissa government makes a consideration of our 29-charter of demands. We felt let down. That’s why we have resolved to entirely dissociate from the process,” said Anadi Charan Rout, chief of UAC, the pro-plant outfit.

“Final decision with regard to their demands would be taken at the Rehabilitation and Peripheral Development Advisory Committee meeting which would be convened shortly,” said Erasama-Balikuda MLA Prasanta Muduli.

Among other things, the UAC pressed forth demand for revision of relief sum for private land, agriculture land, betel vine plots, orchards apart from the enhancement of homestead land sum. Employment of at least one person from the displaced family in the plant, adequate relief for agriculture workers and betel vine workers and guaranteeing of their employment in the project stayed on their agenda.