Paradip, May 5: Armed with the Union environment and forest ministry’s (MoEF) “go-ahead”, the Jagatsinghpur district administration is gearing up to resume the land acquisition exercise at the Posco project site.

“The exercise would resume from Bhuiyanpal and Polang villages under Gadakujang gram panchayat in a week’s time. Betel vines in the encroached land would be demolished. For the acquisition of this land, consent of betel vine owners would not be sought as the land is encroached upon. The owners, however, will have to give a written undertaking before getting the compensation cheque,” said Muralidhar Swain, Ersama block development officer.

The claims with regard to betel vines destroyed either by anti-plant outfits or nature-induced factors would be taken up for reconsideration later. Armed police would be deployed in the area before the land acquisition exercise gets under way.

“The betel vines are spread across 1,235 acres of forest area in Gadakujang, Nuagoan and Dhinkia gram panchayats. As the forest areas had been a bone of contention, the acquisition of this betel-growing land remains at the top of the administration’s agenda,” said Nrusingha Charan Swain, special land acquisition officer.

The land acquisition process started from the Gadakujang panchayat on July 15 last year amid protests. But it was put on hold on August 3 following a directive from the MoEF on the basis of a joint committee report that confirmed violation of forest rights in the area.

During the fortnight-long acquisition drive last year, nearly two acres of forestland was acquired from 97 betel vines growers. The administration had doled out Rs 1.36crore as compensation sum towards the betel plot-losers, said officials. Sources said that betel plots would be measured mechanically from ‘fence-to-fence’ as against people’s demand of ‘stay-to-stay’ measurement.

“We are opposed to fence-to-fence measurement. The betel farmers are going to suffer loss because of it. The administration had agreed for stay-to-stay measurement following the intervention of agriculture minister Damodar Rout and hence the administration should stick to this. Otherwise, there would be protests,” said Nirvaya Samantaray, secretary, United Action Committee (UAC), a pro-plant outfit.

“We are willing to part with our betel vine plots. But the plots should have to be measured in keeping with our demands,” said Daitary Sahu, a betel plot owner from Polang village. Another betel farmer from Dhinkia, Raghav Pradhan, said: “ We are living a decent life because of the betel leaf trade. But now it is becoming evident that betel vines would be demolished. I would be forced to sacrifice my land for the project. The anti-plant movement is weakening and we have to look after our own interests.”

Posco Protirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS) chief Abhaya Sahu however said: “The movement would go on with renewed vigour in a democratic manner till the steel project is relocated to some other place. Our support base is still intact. People here are still opposing the project today as they have been doing it for past five years.”

“My feelings are mixed after the ministry gave the project final clearance. I am glad that the steel mill would be set up here for economic growth of people. But at the same time I am feeling let down as the betel plots would not be up for acquisition this time. The betel fields have been destroyed by anti-plant activists. We have fled from our native Patana village and are leading a exiled life in the transit colony. We should be brought under ex-gratia scheme like other landowners in the project areas,” said Chandan Mohanty, now living at a transit colony in Badabakpur on the outskirts of the proposed steel project location.

ORIGINALK

Paradip, May 5: Armed with union environment and forest ministry’s (MOEF) ‘go-ahead’ the Jagatsinghpur district administration is gearing up to resume the land acqusition exercise at the Posco project site.

“The exercise would resume from Bhuiyanpal and Polang villages under Gadakujang Gram panchayat in a week’s time. Betel vines in the encroached land would be demolished. But for the acquisition of this land consent of betel vine owners would not be sought as the land is encroached. The owners, however, will have to give a written undertaking before getting the compensation cheque”, said Muralidhar Swain, Ersama Block Development Officer.

The claims with regard to betel vines destroyed either by anti-plant outfits or nature-induced factors would be taken up for reconsideration later. Armed police would be deployed in the area before the land acquisition exercise gets underway.

“The betel vines ae spread across 1,235 acres of forest area in Gadakujang, Nuagoan and Dhinkia gram panchayats. As the forest areas had been a bone of contention the acquisition of this betel growing land remains at the top of the administration’s agenda”, said Nrusingha Charan Swain, special land acquisition officer.

Land acquisition process started from the Gadakujang panchayat on July 15 last year amid protests. But it was put on hold on August 3 last following a directive from the MOEF on the basis of a joint committee report that confirmed violation of forest rights in the area.

During the fortnight long acquisition drive last year, nearly 2 acres of forestland was acquired from 97 betel vines growers. The administration had doled out Rs 1.36 crore as compensation sum towards the betel-plot-losers, according to officials. Sources said that betel plots would be measured mechanically from ‘fence-to-fence’ as against people’s demand of ‘stay-to-stay’ measurement.

“We are opposed to fence-to-fence measurement. The betel farmers are going to suffer loss because of it. The administration had agreed for stay-to-stay measurement following the intervention of State's Agriculture minister, Dr.Damodar Rout and hence administration should stick to this. Otherwise there would be protests,” said Nirvaya Samantaray, secretary, United Action Committee (UAC), a pro-plant outfit.

“We are willing to part with out betel vine plots. But the plots should have to be measured in keeping with our demands,” said Daitary Sahu, a betel plot owner from Polang village. Another betel farmer from Dhinkia, Raghav Pradhan, said, “ We are living a decent life because of betel leaf trade. But now it is becoming evident that betel vines would be demolished. I would be forced to sacrifice my land for the project. The anti-plant movement is weakening and we have to look after our own interests.”

PPSS chief Abhaya Sahu however maintained “the movement would go on with renewed vigour in a democratic manner till the still project is relocated to some other places. Our support base is still intact. People here are still opposing the project today as they have been doing it for past five years”.

“My feelings are mixed after the ministry gave the project final clearance. I am glad that the steel mill would be set up here for economic growth of people. But at the same time I am feeling let down as the betel plots would not be up for acquisition this time. The betel fields are destroyed by anti-plant activists. We have fled from our native Patana village and are leading a exiled life in the transit colony. We should be brought under ex-gratia scheme like other landowners in the project areas”, observed Chandan Mohanty, now living in transit colony in Badabakpur on the outskirts of the proposed steel project.