Paradip, July 5: The district administration today lifted the legal embargo on visits by South Korean officials of Posco to the project area.

The move comes a day after land acquisition for the big-ticket steel project was completed. The Jagatsinghpur district administration has also made arrangements to prevent possible encroachment of acquired land. Officials will keep a close watch to stave off encroachment till project work starts.

“Vigil is being maintained to stop possible encroachment of the land acquired for the steel project. Acts like rebuilding betel vineyards will be treated seriously,” said Jagatsinghpur collector Satya Kumar Mallick.

“The embargo was clamped last year as a precautionary measure. After reviewing the situation, it has been found that now there is no need to restrict the movement of foreign nationals in the project areas,” said Jagatsinghpur superintendent of police Satyabrata Bhoi.

The state police had imposed legal prohibition on foreign nationals in general and South Korean nationals in particular on going to the proposed Posco project villages during January 2012.

Foreigners were required to report to the nearest Bijaychandrapur police station if they were to visit any of the project villages. The police will be within their rights to reject the permission to travel to the troubled areas.

“The South Korean officials of Posco steel company can now enter the project villages if they want to. But they have to inform the nearest police station before they visit,” Bhoi said.

The civil and police administration of Jagatsinghpur are also contemplating withdrawal of police forces stationed at Mangalapada camp in Patana village.