Report by Amarnath Parida; Jagatsinghpur: The hostage of BJD legislator and Italian foreign national by Maoists has hit the Posco project related work as state government officials are busy by organizing meetings with Maoist nominated mediators to sort out solution for release of legislator and foreign national.

Despite suspension of environmental clearance to Posco steel project by National Green Tribunal, Posco Company has been started three to four rounds of discussions with IDCO officials to expedite the construction work of coastal road and land acquisition process within 15th to 20th April but cancellation of yesterday’s scheduled visit of chairman cum managing director of IDCO to Posco project site to assess the situation has brought harassment among Posco

After Prime Minister of India Mr. Manmohan Singh’s assurance to the President of South Korean rays new hope to expedite the Posco steel project so July 2012 mentioned as the deadline for handing over 2,700 acres of acquired land for the project to expedite Posco related work on the ground. Despite suspension of environmental clearance by Green Tribunal, IDCO can resume work like construction of coastal road, land acquisition process, rehabilitation colony on its proposed 12 million tonne steel plant near Paradip using over 2000 acres of government land already acquired for the project.

The IDCO which was in-charge of acquiring land for Posco steel project had to abandon the construction work of coastal road and land acquisition work at the proposed plant site village of Posco on December 1 6, 2011 after violence between pro Posco and anti Posco activists killing one person and injuring 25 persons. After the incident, the Idco authorities are watching the situation to expedite the work while district administration has been imposed the restriction on Posco officials to enter into Posco site for apprehending deterioration of law and order situation.

After discussions with Posco officials, CMD, IDCO Mr Pradip Kumar Jena who is also secretary of panchyatraj department, scheduled to visit the Posco site on 7th April to stock the situation and to interact with affected villagers, district officials to know the ground reality before start of work. Mr. Jena is also negotiating with Maoist mediators with other two top officials to release Italian foreign national Mr. Polo Bosusco and legislator Mr. Jhina Hikaka. Meanwhile, Mr. Jena cancelled his Posco visit on yesterday as he was busy with hostage crisis so the hope of the company to resume Posco related work before 15th April would be deferred.

Additional district magistrate, Paradip Mr. Surjeet Das has expressed ‘scheduled visit of CMD, IDCO, Mr. Jena to Posco site has been cancelled on yesterday as he was busy with legislator and Italian national’s hostage crisis. His rescheduled visit to Posco site to assess the situation has not yet communicated to the administration.’ He added.

Officials sources said that district administration had been demolished 644 betel vines and 22,091 trees and disbursed compensation Rs 10 cores and Rs 1.10 crores for prawn gheri demolition and Rs 2.67 crores towards compensation of fruit bearing trees and Rs 1.40 croes towards acquisition of private land. Officials have claimed nearly 2,000 acres of land for the Posco project have already been acquired.

General Manager, Posco Company Mr. Sarbada Nanda Singh has expressed ‘recent verdict on green clearance of Green Tribunal may not affect Posco related work so we have expected to resume the work very shortly. CMD, IDCO, Mr. Jena would likely to visit Posco site to study the situation within three to four days’. He added.