Paradip, Aug. 28: Felling of trees was carried out at the proposed Posco steel plant project area today with the cooperation of villagers.

The villagers were allowed to carry out clearance of forest areas themselves as authorities adopted this strategy to win public support.

“Although Sunday was a holiday, the administration carried forward the stalled-work with people’s cooperation. Local residents have voluntarily taken up the work of cutting down tress in Nuagaon forest areas. About 1,000 forest classified trees were chopped today. Those who axed down the trees were paid wages. People were happy though there was protest in other villages,” said Kujang tehsiladar, Vasudev Behera.

With people’s consent, about 25 acres of swampy land was acquired during the course of the day for the steel project. “We demolished vast expanse of prawn dykes measuring about 25 acres. An amount of Rs 50 lakh was paid as compensation to the prawn rearing farmers while taking up their cultivated patch under land acquisition process,” said special land acquisition officer, Nrusingha Charan Swain.

To put to an end to the deadlock in project-related work, authorities have devised the novel method to woo the protesters. Officials have extended doles in the form of timber and logs free of cost to protesting villagers.