Paradip, Nov. 10: In an attempt to end the impasse over its much-delayed mega steel project, Posco bigwigs visited the project areas, which have largely remained out of bounds for its officials since the inking of an MoU with the Orissa government six years ago.
The visit of the company heavyweights yesterday without any resistance from those opposing the project assumes significance against the backdrop of a series of public protests in the recent past that have forced the authorities to suspend project-related work
“Posco India chairman-cum-managing director Y.W. Yoon along with deputy managing director Riu Chan and general manager G.Y. Ahn, visited the project area villages yesterday. It was a goodwill visit to win the confidence of the people,” said the general manager of the state-run Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco), Sangram Kumar Mohapatra.
The Posco bosses visited Nuagaon. They interacted with local people and spoke to members of the Dadhibaban forest committee. The company authorities assured them they would look into the livelihood support package. “Everything went smoothly. The Posco authorities expressed satisfaction over the groundwork before the resumption of project work,” said the Idco official.
“There were no protests whatsoever. The villagers warmly received the foreign guests,” he added.
The trouble-free visit of Posco-India officials is being regarded as a significant development as the Orissa government in a recent announcement had given the company the go-ahead to carry forward the steel venture construction work on the 2,000-acre acquired land.
Pro-plant outfit United Action Committee (UAC) was, however, guarded in its reaction to the visit. “It is no doubt a positive development. But the company should instil confidence in people who are losing their land and livelihood sources because of the setting up of the steel project,” said UAC general secretary Nirvaya Samantaray.
The Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samity (PPSS), the outfit spearheading a protracted resistance against the steel plant project, dismissed the visit as a “publicity stunt”.
