Children, wearing black badges, participate in the Black Day protest against Posco steel project at Gobindpur village in Jagatsinghpur district on Wednesday. (PTI)

Paradip, June 22: The administration today went ahead with ground-levelling and tree-felling works for the 12-million-tonne Posco project in trouble free areas under Gadakujang and Nuagaon gram panchayats while the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS) observed a Black Day in protest against the ongoing land acquisition drive.

“Though we have stopped land acquisition in Dhinkia in view of the resistance, project related works such as, tree-felling, ground-levelling in the dismantled betel vineyards and boundary construction, are progressing in Gadakujang and Nuagaon gram panchayats,” said Saroj Kanta Choudhury, additional district magistrate, Paradip.

People in Dhinkia and Gobindpur put on black badges as the leaders of six parties — CPI, CPI(M), Congress, Forward Block, Samajwadi Party, Rastriya Janata Dal — accompanied by the civil society members reached the area.

“Observing Black Day was a symbolic event, as the government had signed an MoU with the Korean steelmaker on this day six years ago,” said PPSS president Abhaya Sahu, adding that people had vowed not to give an inch of land for the project.

CPI deputy general secretary Sudhakar Reddy, who was in the area to express solidarity with the protesters, said the day (June 24) would be observed as Black Day throughout the country to protest against forcible land acquisition for the project.

On the other hand, special land acquisition officer Nrusingha Charan Swain said work on the demarcated boundary had been on in full swing under the supervision of Industrial Development Corporation (IDCO).

“Our plan is to complete boundary demarcation work for 1,000 metres along the Polang, Noliasahi and Bayanalakanda villages in Gadakujang after which the land acquisition process work would resume in Gobindpur. Moreover, ancillary works such as, ground-levelling, sand-filling and cutting off of fruit-bearing trees, are progressing in Gadakujang and Nuagaon gram panchayats. Nearly 30,000 fruit-bearing trees have so far been felled with landlosers receiving compensation to the tune of Rs 34 lakh,” said Swain.

Over 600 betel vine farmers, whose vineyards have recently been pulled down, are issued notices to submit the list of labourers engaged by them to expedite the payment of monthly subsistence allowance of Rs 2,250. They would also be paid 20 per cent of the sum received by the betel vineyard owners.

Chief secretary B.K. Patnaik yesterday said: “We have already acquired 1,800 acres for the proposed plant near Paradip and are beginning project related work in the area already acquired.”

Patnaik also said the government would renew the MoU with Posco by the end of this month. The agreement expired on June 22 last year.

“We are examining the opinions of various departments. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik will take a decision soon,” he said.

Sources said the foundation stone had also been laid for a rehabilitation colony for the displaced near Polanga and Noliasahi in Gadakujang gram panchayat. The development came on the day when senior Left party leaders visited the trouble-torn Dhinkia panchayat.