Uncertainty Looms Large Over Future Of Land Losers For POSCO Project

20 July, Paradeep (Odisha)

Uncertainty looms large over the future of those who provided their land for a better livelihood for the steel plant proposed by the South Korea Steel major POSCO after the company recently signalled suspension of the green field project.

The villagers who have supported the project and handed over their land for it have now started thinking of some other alternative livelihood as the decision of the POSCO had completely shattered their future and economy.

A majority of the pro POSCO villagers, who handed over their land and betel vine to the district administration and received the compensation amount, are now struggling hard to eke out their living.

The compensation amount which they received from the district administration for providing their betel vine, has already been spent and neither have they any money nor their land to start betel vine farming.

Their miseries compounded as the district administration had failed to fulfil their promises in providing any alternate livelihood.

The South Korean steel major had signed the MoU with the state government for setting up of 12 MTPA steel plant at an estimated cost of Rs.52,000 crore, the biggest FDI in the country in 2005.The company, however, made no progress in establishing the steel plant during the last ten years due to stiff resistance by the local anti POSCO villagers who were determined not to allow the company to have plant in their villagers.