Posco steel project site in Gadakujang village. File picture

Paradip, Nov. 27: Representatives of various outfits and village committees have rejected the district administration’s offer for talk to break the Posco deadlock. However, the administration has apparently resolved to resume the project work next week on 2,000 acres acquired for the project.

With the prominent anti-Posco movement leader, Abhay Sahu now behind the bar, the administration had called for a meeting at Gadakujang for settlement of pending demands. But, none of the invitees turned up.

Following Sahu’s arrest, the administration worked out strategy to resume work by taking the landlosers into confidence. As part of the exercise, representatives of panchayatiraj institutions, village committees, local forest committees and members of the United Action Committee were requested to interact with officials on pending demands. But, the initiative did not succeed as the representatives stayed away from the proposed meeting.

Senior district officials, including Jagatsinghpur collector Narayan Chandra Jena, waited in vain for several hours. The invitees did not turn up.

“The administration has been dilly-dallying in fulfilling demands for revised relief and rehabilitation package. It has become desperate to resume project work despite people’s protest,” said Nirvaya Samantaray, general secretary of the United Action Committee.

However, additional district magistrate Surajeet Das said: “We want to begin the project work in conducive environment. The administration has kept its door open for everybody for amicable settlement of people’s demands.”

“There are many people who do not favour of stalling the project work. The administration has mobilised their support and cooperation. We are hopeful that the work would resume shortly with the people’s cooperation,” special land acquisition officer Nrusingha Charan Swain.

Jena said: “We are holding fresh talk with the villagers before starting the work. The administration is still intent on protecting people’s genuine interest and revising the package with the approval of the committee.”

The demands, putforth by the United Action Committee, included hike in relief sum against the acquired betel vineyards, private and homestead land, inclusion of about 75 families, who have deserted Dhnikia gram panchayat under the relief scheme, compensation coverage to betel vines demolished in 2008, engagement of locals in the project works and employment in the project from every family.