Paradip, Aug. 26: The administration managed to resume project work in one part of the proposed Posco project area after over a fortnight-long impasse, even as resistance movement gained its momentum in Dhinkia, the nerve centre of the protest.

The felling of fruit-bearing trees was carried out today in Noliasahi, Polang and Nuagaon villages, while the state-run Idco personnel were on the job to carry out ground levelling in Polang village.

“Despite show of protest, we managed to convince the people and successfully resumed project work. The show of protest later changed into consent as work progressed satisfactorily today,” said Kujang tehsildar Vasudev Pradhan.

On the other hand, the anti-displacement groups and civil society members joined the anti-plant movement to express solidarity with people losing land and livelihood stakes due to setting up of the steel mill.

“We organised a public meeting today at Dhinkia to voice protest against the acquisition of agriculture land for corporate industrial houses. We are with the people who are losing their sources of livelihood because of the Posco steel plant project,” said Prasant Paikray, spokesperson for the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, an anti -displacement outfit.

The congregation assumed significance in view of the fact that the Union ministry of rural development has recently sought public opinion on the proposed National Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation And Resettlement Bill.

“The 1894 colonial law on land acquisition has become obsolete. It has to be repealed. But certain clauses in the draft bill have to be modified to protect the larger interest of poor landholders”, said Lingaraj Pradhan, chief of the Western Orissa Krushak Samnwaya Manch.

No industrial infrastructure should come up on fertile agriculture land or any land providing a mode of livelihood to people. The Posco project areas are full of agriculture land and other category of land to which people owe their sustenance. Thus, the project needs to be relocated from its present earmarked site, said the speakers.

People should consent and should be taken into confidence before they are displaced to accommodate either government or private projects. Through Palli sabha (village body), their consent has to be ratified. In major places in state like Orissa, people depend on single crop for livelihood. Such sing crop pattern land should be kept away from the gamut of industrial land acquisition, anti-displacement leaders iterated.