Members of United Action Committee attend a meeting at Gadakujang on Monday. Telegraph pictures

Paradip, May 9: As the Orissa government gears up to resume land acquisition for the 12-million tonne Posco project, it has before it the difficult task of meeting people’s demand for enhanced compensation.

The district authorities, however, claimed that they were working on a strategy to amicably settle the differences that had cropped up over the compensation and rehabilitation package.

“There are some differences over the package. People in the project are demanding more. We are hopeful that things would be settled amicably and land acquisition drive would resume on May 18 as scheduled,” said Muraldhar Swain, block development officer, Erasama.

“The United Action Committee (UAC), a pro-plant outfit, today held a meeting at Gadakujang to discuss their stepped-up compensation demands. I attended the meeting and tried to convince them that the state government would ensure a better package for the displaced people. Before commencement of the land acquisition, everything would be alright,” said Erasama-Balikua MLA Prasanta Muduli. He said the administration would again talk to the disgruntled UAC members on or before May 15 to settle the issue.

“Unless our demand for the enhanced package is met, we would completely dissociate from the land acquisition process. We are feeling let down. Last year on August 2, the government committed to take up the package enhancement with the chief minister. But no announcement has come as yet. We want the project to come up here. But the larger interests of people should not be sacrificed,” said general secretary of the committee Nirvaya Samantaray.

“Our stand is clear. We would stay away from the government drive. Unless people cooperate, no land acquisition could take place. If the betel vines plot owners do not turn up, neither demolition of vines can take place, nor compensation payment can be made,” said committee president Anadi Charan Rout.

According to the committee members, at least one member of each of the displaced family needs to be employed in the project. The Rehabilitation and Peripheral Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) package had fixed Rs 17 lakh for an acre of private agriculture land and homestead plot, but the committee is seeking its release.

“The workers, engaged in betel vines and prawn gheries, were assured of 20 per cent of the relief sum received by the plot owners. It needs to be hiked to 30 per cent. We are also seeking for written assurance from the government that local people should be fully engaged in construction work of the steel project,” Rout said.

Agriculture minister Damodar Rout, who hails from Jagatsinghpur, said he had decided to attend today’s meeting, but could not because of illness. “Some of the people’s demands are genuine. There should be separate and enhanced compensation payment for homestead plots. Moreover, ex gratia sum for workers in betel vines plots and prawn units should be on a higher side. We are trying to convince the people that government would address their genuine demands,” said Rout.

“The package is pro-Posco and anti-people. The government should commit employment to every family. Relief for the homestead land should be more. Interest of labourers should be protected,” said Rama Chandra Mohanty, a resident of Gadakujang village.

In another development, the activists of resistance movement are chalking out last-ditch line of attack to thwart the land acquisition drive. “Our stand remains the same as it were when the movement began five years ago. Let the plant be relocated. We are opposed to the plant coming up in agriculture and betel vines rich areas,” said Abhaya Sahu, chief of PPSS, the outfit at the forefront of the agitation against the steel project.