By IANS
Bhubaneswar : Hundreds of protestors in Orissa Thursday prevented the police and officials from entering the site of a proposed mega steel plant of Posco-India, a subsidiary of Pohang Iron and Steel Co.
The protestors prevented the team of officials, led by district police chief B.K. Sharma, from entering the proposed Posco plant site at Balitutha village in Jagatsinghpur district, some 120 km from state capital Bhubaneswar. Two groups, one opposing the project and the other supporting it, organised rallies near the site Thursday.
“The officials wanted to visit a few of the affected villages, including Dhinkia and Gadakujana. We politely told them that we are not allowing any government officials or Posco officials,” a leader of the group opposing the project told IANS on telephone.
The officials turned back, he said.
The protestors who have for 36 days blocked a road at Balitutha, considered the entry point to the proposed plant site, however, let the people supporting the project arrive at the village.
At least 5,000 people gathered in the village and organised a meeting in favour of the proposed project.
“It was for the first time since the company signed the deal with the Orissa government that such a large number of people, led by local legislator Damodara Rout, came out openly in support of the project,” a senior police official told IANS over phone.
The protestors also held a rally, but the gathering in the pro-Posco rally was impressive, he said.
The South Korean steel major proposes to build a $12-billion steel plant by 2016 in what is the largest foreign direct investment in India.
Over 20,000 people from around 15 villages in Jagatsinghpur district are protesting the project, saying it would take away their homes and means of livelihood.
Posco and the state government say the plant will bring economic prosperity to the state and create jobs, although it will affect 500 families in the area.