Paradip, May 17: The construction of a plastic park on the outskirts of the port township faced fresh protest today with local residents stalling the Rs 40 crore project.

Land losers flanked by their family members stalled work and refused to budge an inch from the project site till the authorities addressed their demand regarding higher compensation and jobs for them.

The protesters' principal grouse was that the land acquisition authorities had disbursed an abysmally low compensation sum against the land acquired from them.

"The government has paid a higher package to the tune of Rs 19 lakh per acre for land losers in the Essar Steel and Posco project. However, we were paid only Rs 13 lakh per acre for the acquired land. Besides, the government has not come out with a commitment to provide employment to the land losers when the plastic park becomes operational. This goes against the spirit of rehabilitation policy introduced by the government," said Mandakini Rout, a protester.

Police were rushed to the spot as tension gripped the proposed project site. Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) was also clamped at the site. The agitation was peaceful and no untoward incidents occurred during the demonstration, said additional superintendent of police Madhabanand Sahu.

Land acquisition for industrial ventures has often witnessed resistance and protest in the bustling Paradip industrial hub in the recent past. The proposed plastic park is apparently heading towards the same direction. Since the past six months, the construction of the plastic park has been halted at least on three occasions following protests from the land losers.

The state-run Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco) had undertaken the boundary line construction of the park here. The earmarked project site over 200 acres is located at Siju-Rangiagada locality on the town outskirts.

The park is being established under the stewardship of the petrochemical department of the Union government. Idco also has stake in the project and is carrying out ground-levelling and laying a road to the site in the first phase.

"The land losers have put forth their demand for a higher compensation. They have also raised rehabilitation and employment issues. Their demands have been brought to the notice of the higher-ups," said an Idco official.

Kujang tehsildar Basudeb Satapathy said: "The genuine demands of the people would surely be fulfilled. They have been assured of a settlement of their grievances. We have invited them for a discussion with the district administration."