Posco can start work now: Government

BHUBANESWAR: With land acquisition for Posco steel project getting embroiled in one controversy after another and the Government drawing flak, the company was told on Thursday to begin construction work on the acquired land. “The Government has so far acquired over 2,000 acre for Posco steel plant. The company could easily start its work over the land,” Chief Secretary BK Patnaik told mediapersons here.As per the company’s proposal to set up 12 mtpa steel facility in three different modules, it  requires about 4,000 acre. The acquired land can accommodate the steel plant, Patnaik said.Dismissing allegation that slow process of land acquisition has considerably delayed the biggest-ever single FDI in the country, the Chief Secretary pointed out Posco obtained final forest clearance from the Centre only a couple of months ago.The State Government is not sitting idle. Efforts are on to acquire land for infrastructure development like construction of roads to the proposed plant site and rehabilitation colony for the affected families, Patnaik said. He has already instructed the Jagatsinghpur district administration and Idco to expedite land acquisition and infrastructure development.The Government acquired over 2,000 acres after the project received clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, official sources said, adding it is not proper to blame the State Government for the delay. Tata Steel had requested 3,471 acre for its steel mill while signing MoU with the State Government in 2004. The company, however, worked out new designs and limited its land requirement to 2,200 acre following public protest, the sources said.Replying to a question on when the new MoU will be signed with Posco as the old one lapsed in June 2010, the Chief Secretary said the revised document is under examination of the Law Department.While the Government is facing opposition from the local people for the project, villagers of Nuagaon and Gadakujang have sought the intervention of NHRC to stop land acquisition till the renewal of MoU.Betel vine labourers also requested NHRC Rapporteur Damodar Sarangi to take up their case for maintenance allowance. Sarangi visited Polang, Bhuiyanpal, Noliasahi of Gadakujang panchayat on October 21 and interacted with villagers.