The Odisha government’s drive to acquire land for the Posco steel project continued for the third day, amid protest by the project opponents. The Jagatsinghpur district administration today demolished 20 betel vines on the encroached government land and disbursed Rs 25-lakh compensation to the vine owners.

The land acquisition process was halted briefly during the day at Gobindpur village as villagers, including women and kids, gheraoed the Jagatsinghpur district collector and superintendent of police.

Even as the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti leader Abhay Sahu began an indefinite hunger strike on Tuesday demanding withdrawal of police, the administration continued land acquisition for Posco’s proposed steel project in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district for the third consecutive day.

As many 18 betel vineyards were destroyed on the outskirts of Gobindpur village during the day in heavy police presence and compensation was paid to farmers as hundreds of villagers opposing land acquisition and heavy police presence in the village sat on a dharna at the nearby Patana hamlet where Mr. Sahu began his hunger strike in the morning.

The Centre may set up an inter-ministerial group (IMG) for suggesting ways to fast-track clearance for South Korean steel major Posco’s $12-billion investment plans in Odisha, which are mired in la

Amidst political controversies, land acquisition for the Rs. 52,000 crore Posco steel project resumed with tight security at Gobindpur village in Orissa’s Jagatsinghpur district.

Administration says issues with villagers sorted out through dialogue, acquisition peaceful

Realising that the Land Acquisition Bill, already cleared by the Union Cabinet, would put land procurement for big-ticket industrial projects in a quandary, the Odisha government has resumed land acquisition for the showpiece Posco project at a frenzied pace. In November 2011, land acquisition for the mega steel project ground to a halt after clashes broke out over the construction of a coastal corridor. With land acquisition slated to turn challenging after the new Bill is passed (since it would need the consent of at least 80 per cent of the affected people), experts believe at this stage, the state government cannot afford to buy time.

BHUBANESWAR: Widespread resentment is growing against the state government for suddenly sending armed police forces to suppress agitating villagers and acquire their lands for the Posco project which has been entangled in a host of litigations. The government renewed the process of land acquisition for the South Korean steel giant on Sunday even though the National Green Tribunal had earlier suspended the final environmental clearance (EC) given to it by the ministry of environment and forest (MoEF).

Hundreds of police forces swooped down on Gobindapur village early on Sunday morning and seized the entire area from all sides as officials started pulling down betel vines, one of the major source of livelihood for the local tribals. The government had earlier conducted a similar exercise and claimed to have taken possession of over 2,000 acres of land from the villagers.

The first phase of Posco’s $12-billion Orissa project — India’s single-largest foreign direct investment — could start churning out steel by 2018, three persons with direct knowledge of the develop

Farmers given compensation for betel vineyards destroyed

The land acquisition for Posco’s planned steel mill continued at Gobindpur in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district for the second day on Monday, even as hundreds of villagers resisted the process peacefully. Government officials stopped the process after paying the farmers compensation for 10 betel vineyards destroyed on Sunday. Twenty platoons of armed policemen were deployed to guard the site and seal the entry points to the area.

Lathicharge On Human Wall Of Women, Kids

After being halted for more than a year, land acquisition for the showpiece Rs 52,000-crore Posco steel plant in Odisha resumed today amid clashes between the police and protesters.

The acquisition process for the South Korean steel major's mega project amid tight security in Jagatsinghpur district was marked by claims and counter-claims on the violence following allegations of police crackdown on project opponents and injuries to some villagers due to lathicharge.