A betel vineyard being marked before the acquisition. Telegraph picture

Cuttack/Jagatsinghpur, May 25: The district administration today acquired one betel vine in Gobindpur village, considered to be the epicentre of the anti-Posco movement, without any protest.

In an affidavit filed in Orissa High Court, the state government said: “At every stage, requirement of public purpose has been the sole objective” of its land acquisition.

The state government filed the affidavit in response to notices issued by the high court on a writ petition seeking quashing of the land acquisition proceedings for the 12-million-tonne steel project.

The petition alleged that the government had issued notification under the Land Acquisition Act for acquiring land for a “public purpose” but the “entire acquisition of land is apparently for a private limited company”.

In its reply, the state government pointed out that the project would generate additional employment for 8.7 lakh persons for 30 years and contribute 11.5 per cent to the state domestic product (SDP) apart from huge revenue for the state and the Centre.

“One would be at loss to understand what (else) constitutes public purpose or interest,” the Orissa government said.

It claimed that “the land has been acquired for IDCO for public purpose for establishment of industries under the Industrial Infrastructural Development Act, 1980, the Industries (Facilitation) Act, 2004, and the Land Acquisition Act, 1894.

All requisitions “for land have been filed by IDCO, which is a statutory corporation, owned by the state government and all payments at various stages of land acquisition have been made to the district collector by IDCO,” the affidavit stated.

Moreover, “IDCO will be a lessee of the government for the land in question. Possession of the land will also be given by the collector to IDCO,” the affidavit said.

Nishakar Khatua and five other residents of Govindpur-Dhinkia area had filed the petition seeking quashing of the land acquisition proceedings along with a plea for an interim stay order on it.

In its affidavit, Posco India questioned the credibility of the petitioners as “aggrieved persons” and expressed apprehension that they could be “mere mischief mongers who seek to derail the process of land acquisition”.

Posco India’s managing director Gee Woong Sung, in the affidavit, claimed that the land acquisition “is almost complete”. The integrated steel plant required a total area of 4,004 acres. The company had, in 2005, filed requisition with IDCO for 4,004 acres, of which 3,566 acres belonged to the government. The remaining 438 acres belonged to private individuals.

In Jagatsinghpur, the district administration received a shot in its arm with its officials acquiring a 25 decimal betel vineyard in Gobindpur village, which is considered to be the nerve centre of the anti-Posco movement. The entry of officials in the area has given credence to the belief that the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samity (PPSS), spearheading the agitation for the past five years, is on the verge of a split.

“We took possession of the betel vineyard in Gobindapur village and paid compensation of Rs 2.90 lakh to the farmer concerned. It was a symbolic move. We could have acquired more betel vine plots there. Over a dozen of farmers had expressed their willingness to give their plots to us,” said Nrusingha Charan Swain, special land acquisition officer.

PPSS president Abhaya Sahu, however, said: “People would offer stiff resistance if the administration enters the area to acquire land.”

Today, the administration pulled down 51 betel vineyards and paid Rs 75 lakh towards compensation to 51 landlosers.