Officials carry out GPS survey at a Posco village. Telegraph picture

Paradip, Nov. 28: Authorities have started the global positioning system (GPS) survey at the proposed Posco steel project villages to redraw the demarcation line of its boundary.

Officials of the district administration and the state-run Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco) today undertook the survey for foolproof drawing of the boundary.

The process went on hassle free with no protest from local settlers, said an official.

On July 4, the administration concluded acquisition of 2,700 acres required for the big-ticket project after protest by anti-Posco brigades.

Earlier, digging of the project boundary at Gobindpur near Dhinkia, the nerve-centre of the anti-project movement, had been suspended following people’s protest.

“Measurement process of the steel project boundary line has commenced. At present, the line is being drawn at Gadakujang and Nolia Sahi. Later, it will be carried out at Nuagaon and Gobindpur villages,” said special land acquisition officer Sarat Kumar Purohit.

“People are co-operating with the exercise. However, the administration should keep up its commitment and expeditiously implement the rehabilitation and resettlement measures for land-losers and displaced families,” said general secretary of the United Action Committee Nirvaya Samantaray.

“To make the land acquisition process foolproof and free from discrepancies, the GPS mode is being taken up. As the National Green Tribunal has stayed tree-cutting in the project area, the project works have been stopped. However, the administration has taken up the boundary line demarcation to thwart possible re-encroachment of the area,” said Jagatsinghpur collector Satya Kumar Mallick.

Of 2,700 acres acquired for the eight million tonnes steel project, 1,703 acres have been transferred to the company. The entire land will be handed over to the company once the GPS survey is done, he said.

“Till the land transfer is made to the company in totality, Idco will remain custodian of the acquired land. Once the tribunal stay is vacated, the boundary work and other ancillary works will resume,” said Mallick. However, the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samity reiterated its resolve for relocation of the project from the earmarked area.

“Drawing demarcation line is an exercise in futility. People are opposing the project tooth and nail. The company was forced to suspend the boundary wall building following people’s resistance, which will go on till it reaches it logical conclusion,” said general secretary of the samity Sisir Kumar Mahapatra.