Govindpur, Orissa:
Protests continue to intensify against land acquisition for the proposed 12 billion dollar POSCO plant in Govindpur in Orissa.
After warning the government of dire consequences in a statement on Friday, five political parties including the CPI, CPM and even civil society activists reached Govindpur on Saturday to express solidarity with the protestors.
Congress-in-charge for Orissa Jagdish Tytler said, "We are with the people. We don't want the land to be taken. The Chief Minister promised the same earlier but we are shocked to know that force is being used. It is not proper to use force if the people don't want their land to be taken."
Orissa government has re-deployed police force and hinted at action if protesters continue to prevent movement of officials at the proposed steel project site.
Around 23 platoons of policemen were camping in the area. They were planning to use alternative routes and demolish betel vine farms in Govindpur.
"Govt officials who are duty bound to acquire forest land here are being prevented. This is unlawful and immoral and so we will do whatever is lawful," said Devdutt Singh, SP, Jagatsinghput.
Nearly 2000 women, children and men have formed a human barricade to prevent the entry of police and administration in the proposed plant area, in what they say is a last ditch attempt to protect their land.
Some of them have been lying on the hot sand for hours, desperate to stop the police from entering their village.
"Our parents have been agitating for last six years. We are now ready to die before they do. Naveen Patanik govt wants to snatch away our betel vines and our parents' livelihood," said one of them.
For the last six years people in Dhinkia Panchayat have been demanding relocation of the project. They say it will deprive them of their major source of income from the betel vines spread across nearly 3000 acres of forest land. Last month, the Jairam Ramesh-led Environment Ministry gave the go-ahead to the Korean steel giant to build the steel plant in the state.
"The children will die anyway. When we are uprooted and starved how will they survive? All of us would prefer getting killed," a lady protesting there said.
Despite the heat, humid conditions and several threats by the police to use force, the children and women refuse to budge.
It is a do or die battle for the people in Govindpur and Dhinkia. They say this is the last ditch effort to protect their land from being grabbed by corporate interests.
After warning the government of dire consequences in a statement on Friday, five political parties including the CPI, CPM and even civil society activists reached Govindpur on Saturday to express solidarity with the protestors.
Congress-in-charge for Orissa Jagdish Tytler said, "We are with the people. We don't want the land to be taken. The Chief Minister promised the same earlier but we are shocked to know that force is being used. It is not proper to use force if the people don't want their land to be taken."
Orissa government has re-deployed police force and hinted at action if protesters continue to prevent movement of officials at the proposed steel project site.
Around 23 platoons of policemen were camping in the area. They were planning to use alternative routes and demolish betel vine farms in Govindpur.
"Govt officials who are duty bound to acquire forest land here are being prevented. This is unlawful and immoral and so we will do whatever is lawful," said Devdutt Singh, SP, Jagatsinghput.
Nearly 2000 women, children and men have formed a human barricade to prevent the entry of police and administration in the proposed plant area, in what they say is a last ditch attempt to protect their land.
Some of them have been lying on the hot sand for hours, desperate to stop the police from entering their village.
"Our parents have been agitating for last six years. We are now ready to die before they do. Naveen Patanik govt wants to snatch away our betel vines and our parents' livelihood," said one of them.
For the last six years people in Dhinkia Panchayat have been demanding relocation of the project. They say it will deprive them of their major source of income from the betel vines spread across nearly 3000 acres of forest land. Last month, the Jairam Ramesh-led Environment Ministry gave the go-ahead to the Korean steel giant to build the steel plant in the state.
"The children will die anyway. When we are uprooted and starved how will they survive? All of us would prefer getting killed," a lady protesting there said.
Despite the heat, humid conditions and several threats by the police to use force, the children and women refuse to budge.
It is a do or die battle for the people in Govindpur and Dhinkia. They say this is the last ditch effort to protect their land from being grabbed by corporate interests.
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