Paradip, July 1: After a week-long impasse, Jagatsinghpur district administration today managed to break the ice and negotiate an amicable settlement with people opposing the Posco rehabilitation and resettlement package, paving way for resumption of project-related work from tomorrow.

The villages coming under the proposed mega steel project witnessed intense resistance with people supporting the project turning opponents over inordinate delay in announcement of revised compensation package.

Project-related works such as boundary wall construction, ground-levelling, road laying, tree felling and establishment of resettlement colony had come to a grinding halt as people had offered resistance to the government exercise.

In a meeting held today at Gadakujang under the project area, the differences over various issues were discussed and a settlement was reached with the administration giving a written undertaking to fulfil the six-point charter of demands soon after the end of the return car festival.

“Project-related works would resume tomorrow as the people who had turned protesters have now agreed to extend their cooperation to the government exercise. The Rehabilitation and Peripheral Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) meeting would be held after the completion of rath yatra festival to finalise the compensation package,” said Jagatsinghpur collector Narayan Chandra Jena.

The administration has already committed to fulfil the demands. But the resisting people were insistent on its early fulfilment.

The demands would be duly met within the next fortnight at the meeting of RPDAC, said the district chief.

The six-point demands raised by the United Action Committee (UAC), a pro-plant outfit, included hike in compensation sum against the acquired betel vineyards, private and homestead land, inclusion of about 75 families who have deserted Dhinkia gram panchayat under the compensation scheme, compensation coverage to betel vines demolished in 2008, engagement of locals in the project works and employment in the project from every family.

The administration was intent on giving out maximum benefits to those getting displaced from the project areas.

That’s why, the demands raised again by people after Posco package was announced last year is being given a considerate view. It has also been decided to give away 50 per cent cost of felled forest-category trees to the local villagers.

The cost in form of compensation would be paid to the people through the village-level forest development committees constituted earlier, collector Jena said.

“As the district collector agreed to give in writing that the charter of demands would be fulfilled, we have decided to extend cooperation to the officials for the project-related works. A series of meetings have been held earlier with the Revenue Divisional Commission (central). But the commitment was not kept.

“We hope that the government now sticks to its promise and comes out with an announcement with regard to revised compensation and livelihood support package for the land-losers,” said UAC general secretary Nirvaya Kumar Samantaray.