Work resumes at Posco Site

PARADIP: Work at the proposed site for Posco steel project resumed on Tuesday  after 10 days.   In Polang-Noliasahi area of Nuagaon panchayat, where the rehabilitation colony for displaced people was proposed to be constructed, sand filling and other civil works were in progress. Work in Gadakujang and Nuagaon areas has also resumed. Work had come to a halt after villagers and activists of United Action Committee (UAC), an outfit backing the mega project, staged a dharna demanding immediate fulfilment of six demands, including enhanced compensation to land losers and proper rehabilitation. Following talks with district authorities on July 1, UAC leaders agreed to cooperate and allow work in the land already acquired for the project. Special Land Acquisition Officer Nrusingh Swain said around 1,700 casuarina and fruit-bearing trees had been felled at Noliashai and ` 11 lakh disbursed as compensation.Kujang tehsildar Basudev Pradhan said no untoward incident was reported from Polang and Noliasahi.  Meanwhile, the district administration has started issuing job cards, reportedly in a move to appease the irate unemployed youths of the area, through a private contract agency. Erasama BDO Murlidhar Swain said of the 3,000 affected families, 600 job cards had been disbursed among the local youths.  They would be provided jobs in the construction work of the project with a remuneration of ` 6,000 a month.