A betel vine owner. Telegraph picture

Paradip, Oct. 20: Owners of the betel vines at Dhinkia gram panchayat, in a departure from their anti-plant stand, have come forward to hand over their land for the Posco project near Paradip.

The gram panchayat, hitherto out of bounds for land acquisition and company personnel, accounts for around 900 betel vineyards. Barring a few, authorities had so far failed to take possession of the betel vineyards.

However, special land acquisition officer Nrusingha Charan Swain said: “The revenue inspector and panchayat executive officer of Dhinkia gram panchayat are now flooded with applications of willing betel vine owners. The applicants have expressed their willingness for transfer of land in exchange of fitting compensation package.”

In July, authorities had countered intense public protest and dismantled 37 vineyards at Gobindapur village. The exercise stopped as protesters forming human barricade stalled the process. Seven of the “willing” vineyard owners were, however, paid Rs 8.25 lakh relief sum then while 31 more betel vineyard owners, who lost out the betel plots, refused to receive the relief amount.

Officials said the owners were now coming forward to receive the cheque for the dismantled plots. More plot owners were eager to part with their plots. “We had issued public notice asking the betel vineyard losers to submit their application for disbursal of compensation cheque in their favour. The landlosers, who had earlier refused to receive cheque, have now submitted application for relief. Moreover, we have received fresh applications for acquisition of betel vine plots,” said Swain.

“The notices were issued on October 12 and October 22 is the deadline fixed for receipt of applications. Applications have been received from the landlosers. Moreover, about 50 more applications from landowners, who had expressed desire to transfer land, were received,” said revenue inspector Purna Chandra Parida.

After the notices were on display at public places, activists of the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samity allegedly tore these down. “But, the interested people have gone ahead with submission of their applications,” said executive officer of Dhinkia gram panchayat Sridhar Swain.

Sisir Kumar Mahaptra, ex-Sarpanch of Dhinkia gram panchayat and prominent leader of the anti-Posco movement, however, did not agree with the official claim.

“It might be stray cases. Almost all the betel vine landowners are still opposing the land acquisition move tooth and nail,” he said.

In a related development, a representative of the National Human Rights Commission today made an on-the-spot assessment of alleged violation rights of locals living at the project villages. The special rapporteur of the commission Damodar Sarangi visited the project villages, interacted with people, including those opposing and favouring the project. Villagers in places such as Patana and Gobindapur sought the commission’s intervention while iterating their claim of coming under other traditional forest dweller category. The commission emissary sought documentary proof in support of their claim.

The commission special rapporteur also visited to the house of Tapan Mandal, who had lost his life following project related violence on June 20, 2008, said an official accompanying him.