Paradip/Bhubaneswar, June 7: The Orissa government has deferred a final meeting to discuss renewal of the Posco MoU by a fortnight to give the concerned departments time to come up with concrete proposals on different aspects of the understanding.

“We have asked the line departments to take time and come up with proposals,” said chief secretary Bijay Patnaik today.

According to sources, the crucial aspects included extension of the accord for six years, talks on iron ore swapping clause and the captive port. The Industrial Investment Promotion Corporation of Orissa (IPICOL) will come up with a proposal for extension of the MoU and discuss the company’s proposal for having the 12-million-tonne project in three phases instead of four.

Besides, the government is also keen to have a written assurance from the company on jobs for locals in the area.

The line departments would also suggest on how to go about with the iron ore swapping clause which many want to do away with. The issues pertaining to the port at Jatadhari would also be discussed. “They need time to come up with specific proposals,” said officials.

In another development, authorities are scrutinising petitions for acquisition of betel vineyards in the project area as some of these are alleged to be non-existent. Sources said the process was on, while the land acquisition work was suspended today to give a day’s break to the officials involved in the exercise.

Sources said that a majority of such claims lacked authenticity. The claims of this nature owe their genesis to the fact that the Posco company officials and the government agencies had made an attempt to acquire land by pulling down some betel vines in Nuagaon gram panchayat in 2008.

While 46 of those vineyard owners had been compensated, more were coming forward to get compensation.

“The administration is intent on smooth acquisition of betel vineyards. At the same time, emphasis is on to maintain transparency.

“Everything is being done to ensure that no bogus beneficiaries get in the compensation against non-existing betel vines,” said Sujeet Das, project director of the resettlement and rehabilitation department.“We have already disbursed compensation to 45 landowners whose betel vineyards were acquired in 2008. But more people are coming forward to state that they have parted with their betel vineyards to the project. Most of these claimants are not appearing to be genuine,” said Saroj Kanta Choudhury, additional district magistrate, Paradip.

“So far, we are in receipt of more than 50 applications. It is being examined to ascertain veracity of the claims. But, it is difficult to detect whether they are betel plot owners.

Moreover, as these are encroached forestland, people occupying them have no valid documents to claim right over it.

“We are guided by instructions to pay compensation to owners of the standing betel vineyards,” said Choudhury.

However, 52 families from Gobindapur and Patana village, living at the Posco transit colony after being tormented by the anti-Posco protesters three years ago, are eligible to get covered under acquisition of their betel vineyards.

“Despite the fact that these families do not have existing betel vines as the opponents have destroyed it, they are entitled for compensation package,” he said.