The transit colony in the proposed Posco area. Telegraph picture

Paradip, May 11: Hounded out of their houses by opponents of the Posco project, about 75 families feel that the government has meted out a raw deal to them.

As the proposed land acquisition for the steel project is expected to start soon, these homeless people from Gobindapur and Patana villages under Dhinkia gram panchayat feel that they have been let down by the authorities.

They want a “just” resettlement and rehabilitation package for being displaced. These families have threatened to launch an agitation to press for their demand. Living on meagre doles from the steel makers, these displaced families live in transit colony and houses of relatives. These people, who are homeless for over two years, are aggrieved as they do not figure in the list of families displaced because of land acquisition.

Their houses, betel vines and prawn dykes all stand ravaged. But the socio-economic survey carried out last year had left out these families, their homestead, agriculture land, betel vines, prawn ponds and their orchards from the enumeration exercise.

“In the aftermath of intense anti-displacement agitation spearheaded by Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samity, 52 families from Patana and 23 others from adjoining Gobindapur village had fallen prey to repressive measures unleashed by the anti-plant outfit. For backing the steel project, their houses were set ablaze and farmland ravaged. They were literally hounded out of their ancestral village as the government agencies watched silently the spectre of torture and humiliation heaped on them”, said Chandan Mohanty, who now lives in Badabagapur transit colony.

Mohanty, who apprised the officials of the grievances of transit colony settlers, said: “We are getting around Rs 4,000 as subsistence allowance every month in the transit colony. But what has shocked us is that we are not going to be covered under land acquisition and compensation payment exercise that resumes on May 18. Authorities have not enumerated immovable assets that were vandalised by Posco opponents. It is arbitrary. After being turned refugees, it’s double shock for us.”

“Unless the government comes up with an announcement, we would leave the colony and sit on the streets to register our protest,” he added.

Nirvaya Samantaray, secretary of United Action Committee, a pro-Posco outfit, said: “Tortured families of Gobindapur have not been paid monthly subsistence allowance as it is being paid to those residing in the transit colony. They are living on the charity of relatives.”

Baina Mohanty, who was forced to leave Gobindapur village with his five-member family after anti-plant activists torched his house said: “I have an acre of land on which we used to cultivate cashew nut and betel leaves. But that is no more now. I do not know whether the government would treat us as displaced family and would offer us resettlement package.”

“The district administration is aware of their plight. Measures are on to address their difficulties. Their landed and farmland properties have not been surveyed as they were staying outside because of the circumstances. In due course of time, they would be brought back to their respective villages for survey and assessment of their property. Their land would be taken up for acquisition and due compensation would be paid to them like the other displaced families”, said Muralidhar Swain, block development officer, Erasama block.

“We are leading a condemned life. Though the government has given us shelter in transit colony, we are caught in the vicious cycle of goons’ anger and administrative indifference,” said Chandan Mohanty, a resident of transit colony at Badagabapur.