As many comrades would be aware that on 31st January 2011, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Govt of India granted conditional clearance to the proposed South Korean firm POSCO ((Pohang Steel)) to set up:
- A Captive iron ore mines: mining lease applied for in two areas and prospecting leases applied for in three areas of Keonjhar District and Sundargarh District. Mining lease on 6204 Hectares in Sundargarh District recommended to be approved by the Supreme Court
- Steel plant: in Jagatsinghpur District, coastal area
- Private port: at the mouth of the river Jatadhari, close to steel plant area; the MoU only makes reference to the possibility of a “minor port” being created
This project that is worth US$12 billion is being touted as the largest Foreign Direct Investment, so the entire Indian ruling class is bending all so called laws and peoples’ protest for satisfying the insatiable hunger for profit by the rapacious international bourgeoisie.
The above decision was unilaterally taken by the state government who has been acting as the mercenaries of big business. This entire project will have serious impacts on environment and livelihood of the common people. If this project is implemented then over 30 villages would be forcefully displaced, and Over 30,000 farmers are expected to lose their lands and livelihood. There has been continuous protest in one form or the other for the last two years or more under the leadership of the POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti.
The Odisha state government has virtually sold all the natural resources of the state to multi-national bourgeoisie at the expense of the poor peasantry and proletariats. It has again cunningly taken a decision to construct coastal road from Paradeep to proposed POSCO site. The government along with the corporate henchmen of POSCO have been threatening the villagers. The government and the company are now trying to build an alternative road along the coast to gain access to the proposed POSCO site if this road is built then the company will have access to the proposed site at Dhinkia.
This plan of the government if it is implemented then it will mean an end to the on-going struggle and the people will be forever condemned to live life of utter penury and misery.
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Dear Friends,
We earnestly appeal to all of you to send your immediate protest letter to the government of Odisha regarding its recent decision to start the construction of coastal road from Paradeep to our village for POSCO. We fear that over 400–500 henchmen of POSCO followed by police forces might forcibly enter into our area. From media reports, it may construe that they can attack on or before 3rd of November 2011. On 30th October 2011, our villagers have decided to intensify the protest if the Government goes ahead with land acquisition and construction of the coastal road.
On 27th of October 2011, the Chief Secretary of Odisha Mr. B.K Patnaik said in the media that he had asked POSCO authorities to begin work on the acquired land. Of the 4,000 and odd acres of land required by the company, the state government claims to have acquired 2,000 acres and hence POSCO could start work over this land.
In this regard, Mr. Priyabrat Patnaik, Chief Managing Director of Industrial Development Corporation of Odisha (IDCO) held a meeting with the Jagatsinghpur district officials on 28th of October, 2011.
As you all know that the government’s move to allow POSCO to start work in the area is completely illegal as the MOU has lapsed more than a year back. Opposition parties including Congress and BJP opposed Orissa government’s move to invite POSCO-India to begin work on the acquired land even before a fresh MoU was signed.
At this critical juncture, we appeal to all concerned citizens activists, intellectuals and media friends to extend their support and put consistent pressure on the government to stop the forcible eviction of the people. Our villagers in a meeting in Dhinkia also have resolved to oppose any move by the state. We know Priyabrata Pattnaik as an officer with criminal credential and can do anything to harm us and help the project. Any intervention from your side will be of help to us.
We shall inform you the further developments here.
Kindly circulate this mail widely.
In Solidarity,
Prashant Paikaray
Spokesperson, POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti
Mobile no – 09437571547
E -Mail- prashantpaikray@gmail.com
Please Write and Call…..
1.Mr. Shri Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, Prime Minister’s
Office, Room number 152, South Block, New Delhi, Fax: + 91 11 2301 6857;
manmohan@sansad.in
2. Mr. P. Chidambaram, Union Minister of Home Affairs, Ministry of
Home Affairs, 104-107 North Block, New Delhi 110 001 India, Fax: +91 11 2309 2979 / 23094221
E.mail hm@nic.in
3. Justice K. G. Balakrishnan, Chairperson, National Human Rights
Commission of India, Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi 110
001, Fax: +91 11 2334 0016, Fax No. 23384863
Email: chairnhrc@nic.in; covdnhrc@nic.in , ionhrc@nic.in
4. Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister, Odisha,
Fax 0674-2535100 E. mail cmo@ori.nic.in
5. Mr. S. K. Patnayak, Chief Secretary, Government of Odhisa,
FAX:0674 – 2536660 e.mail csori@ori.nic.in
6. Mr. Narayan Chandra Jena, District Collectior, Jagatsinghpur,
Contact number +919437038401 Fax No : +916724220299
7. Mr. Debadutta Singh, Superintendent of Police, Mobile No- +919437094678 ,
dmjsp@ori.nic.in
Workers' Unity Trade Union 