Paradip, Oct. 1: The resistance movement against Posco steel project in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district today suffered a setback as the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samity split.

The breakaway group formed the Posco Pratirodh Bikalp Yuva Manch. They accused the present office bearers of being “authoritarian and autocratic”.

“We were not comfortable with the activities of the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samity (PPSS). Without taking the outfit members into confidence, the chief of PPSS, Abhaya Sahu, was imposing unilateral decisions on others. The organisation no longer represents the popular opinion of people. We will decide our next course of action in a week’s time,” said Ashok Bardhan, a spokesman of the new outfit.

“The movement against the proposed steel plant will weaken because of the spilt,” said Nirvaya Samantaray, general secretary, United Action Committee, a pro-Posco outfit.

Posco deputy general manager S.N. Singh said: “Local residents have started to believe that the project would usher in economic growth and all-round development in the area. It is for this reason that people are slowly giving up their anti-Posco stand.”

Dhinkia gram panchayat, one of three gram panchayats under the earmarked land for the steel project, was widely regarded as the nerve centre of the anti-Posco movement. After the government had decided that Dhinkia would be excluded from the project area, the movement against the plant lost considerable support.

Posco needs 4,004 acres for its 12 million tonne steel plant, which includes 2,959 acres of forest land, 608 acres of non-forest land and 437 acres of private land.

The Odisha-run Industrial Development Corporation (Idco) has already acquired over 2,000 acres. The project requires another 700 acres for the project.

“High-level talks were held recently with the Posco officials to break the impasse over compensation and alternate livelihood stakes proposals for land-losers and displaced families. The discussion yielded positive results. The project-related work will resume next month after getting the people’s consensus and cooperation,” said additional district magistrate, Paradip, Surajit Das.

“Some of our members have colluded with the government and the company. They have betrayed the organisation. Their course of action will not affect the movement. We will not allow the project to come up,” said PPSS president Abhaya Sahu.