By IANS,
Bhubaneswar : Odisha Monday continued land takeover for South Korean giant Posco’s $12 billion steel project in Jagatsinghpur district despite tension, even as three people were killed in bomb blasts two days ago, an official said.
“At least six people…volunteered and demolished their betel vines in Gobindpur area in the presence of police and officials. The compensation would be paid to them later,” district collector Satya Kumar Mullick told IANS.
There has been no protest at the site. The land acquiring work would continue further, he said.
Posco’s proposed 12 million tonnes per annum steel plant, the largest foreign investment in India is to come up near the port town of Paradip, about 120 km from here.
The local administration claimed it acquired about 2,000 acres of land in the region in 2011 and about 200 acres in February. It needs to acquire another 500 acres, mostly in Gobindpur area for the project.
At least three anti-Posco activists were killed and another critically injured in explosions Saturday in Patna village close to Gobindpur.
The activists said it was an attack by the pro-Posco people but police termed it as an accident. Patna village is considered to ben an anti-Posco bastion.
The administration started acquiring land for the project Sunday despite the blasts.