War Zone In Proposed POSCO Project Area

The piece was carried in Counter Currents on 14th July 2011 and in Delhi Talks on 3rd August 2011

Web Link: http://www.countercurrents.org/baisakh140711.htm

Web Link: http://www.delhitalks.in/war-zone-in-the-name-of-development.html

War Zone In Proposed POSCO Project Area

By Pradeep Baisakh

14 July, 2011

Countercurrents.org

Children in Dharana (Photo by Pradeep Baisakh)

By providing the environment and forest clearance to the 52,000 crore ($12 billion) POSCO project in Jagatsingpur district of Orissa, the much touted Green Minister of India Jairam Ramesh (He has been recently made the Rural development Minister) knowing or unknowingly opened the road for possible bloodshed in the area. Last some days have witnessed how the state administration has been unperturbed in its resolve to acquire land in the area to be handed over to the POSCO Company for establishing the steel cum power plant despite insurmountable resistance of the local inhabitants.

About the project

On June 22, 2005 Pohang Steel Company (POSCO), a large South Korean corporation, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Orissa. This understanding outlined POSCO’s proposal to invest $12 billion ( around 54 thousand crores in Indian rupees) and plan to build a 12 Million Tonne Per Annum ( MTPA) integrated steel plant, captive port and mines in Erasama block of Jagatatsinghpur district. This is tipped as the highest FDI to India. 4004 acres of land is required for establishing the project of which about 2900 acres are forest land and the rest are private land. In addition to this, land for a railways, road expansion and mine development are also to be provided. The MoU was however valid for five years, which stands expired now. Renewed MoU is yet to be signed as both the parties are in final stage of negotiation on clinching out the nitty-gritty of the MoU.

Stiff resistance to land acquisition process

After getting the ‘go ahead’ from the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF), GoI on 2nd May 2011, (link of the final order http://www.environmentportal.in/files/Posco-final-orders-02052011.pdf ) the state administration focussed acquiring land in (from 18th May 2011) in Polang , Noliasahi and Bhuyanpal etc villages under Gadkujang and Nuagaon Panchayats where most people barring some were persuaded and threatened to hand over their land in lieu of compensation. Betel vines, the major source of livelihood of the people in the area, were pulled down by the administration. Armed police dragooned the people who opposed the government and took into custody 17 people including some 6 children (later released after they signed in a plain paper) for what government said ‘obstructing the government operation’. Basu Behera, the Panchayat Samiti member of Gadkujang Panchayat and vice President of PPSS (POSCO Pratirodha Sangram Samiti), the outfit opposing the project bled owing to the police attack. The administration allegedly engineered infighting between the pro- and anti-POSCO groups where the pro-POSCO people to burnt down the betel vines of Natha Samal, the PPSS member from Nuagaon village.

The police faced unprecedented resistance from people when it attempted to enter the Govindpur village under Dhinkia Panchayat, its next target, which is considered to be the bastion of PPSS. 20 platoon armed police force were deployed to tackle the situation and the District Magistrate Narayan Jena and Superintendent of Police Debadutta Singh were personally present to supervise the operation. More than 3000 people formed human chain and lied down on ground at the entry point to the village (during first half of June 2011). Manjulata Dalai of Govindpur village, who was sitting in Dharana, says “If the land goes to the company, we will die anyway. It is better to die now in pursuit of protecting our land than dying after losing the land”. In a novel method about 600 children formed the frontal barricade and prostrated on the hot sand preventing the entry of police to their villages. While administration cried foul over the use of children in the struggle claiming it to be violation of child rights, the villagers apparently had no option left but to take help of the children to protect their homeland. Priyanka Dalai, a girl reading in 5th class, who sat on Dharana said “We will not leave our land. We will protect it at any cost”. The district administration had gone on record saying that they could use force to acquire land. The situation looked very precarious where the people were lying on ground under scorching sun while the police was ready just 500 metres away. Imposition of section 144 of CrPC and repeated warning by the district Superintendent of Police to leave the land fell into deaf ear; people did not budge. Dr B D Sharma, former SC/ST Commissioner who visited the area told the media that the determination of people not to leave their land in unshakable. “People are protesting here for last 6 years. Even then if the administration resorts to use force leading to any loss of life, it would amount to genocide for which the administration will be fully responsible”. The human chain continues in the area even now.

The participation of children was defended by Abhaya Sahoo, leader of PPSS who said “Since the parents are being beaten up by the police and the armed police are confronting the democratically protesting People, so the children are compelled to participate in the protest Dharanas. I will say it’s the higher consciousness of the children that they have come forward to rescue of their parents and to safeguard their livelihood.” In fact the new strategy of taking help of children had apparently become inevitable in backdrop of event a year earlier in May 2010 where people were fired rubber bullets and tear gas, were lathi charged and local houses were burnt at Balitutha, the entry point to the three affected Panchayats leaving more than 100 people injured including several women. Children were kept in the front to negate such a possibility.

Temporary retreat by government

Unable to break the determination of the people the administration made a retreat and declared a temporary suspension of acquisition operation only to be redeployed later of and on. But until now the administration has not use force to drive out the people. There are apparently some concrete reasons why the administration opted not to use force on the democratically protesting people. First, the children barricade proved to be too impervious to be broken. Moreover, it did not want to create another ‘Kalinga Nagar’ where 12 tribal people were shot dead by the police in January 2006 in Jajpur district of the state. Since the firing there has been no significant progress of industrial work in Kalinga Nagar. This had happened when administration was facilitating construction work for TATA steels. This one incidence has left indelible blot on the image of Naveen Patnaik at the national and international level. Despite a thumping third time come back to power, Naveen can ill afford to have earned another killer image like that in Kalinga Nagar, though it would not deter to use force to disperse the crowd. Secondly, almost all the political parties barring the ruling BJD, throng to the area extending support to the protesting mass and decried any use of force on the people. CPI, CPI (M), Congress, BJP and other small parties sent their representatives who sat alongside the people and thwarted any possible police action. A series of social activists of national stature Medha Patkar, Swami Agnivesh, Vandana Shiva, Trade union leader Gurudas Dasgupta, Retd Justice of Bombay HC Justice Kolse Patil, Magsaysay award winner Sandeep Pande and others sat beside the women and children and extended solidarity to them.The demonstrations of the political parties and social activist continue in the capital Bhubaneswar of and on. Medha and Agnivesh appealed to Naveen government to hold dialogue with the people. Third and most important reason that prevented government using force is the 24x7 presence of media, most importantly the electronic media which made live telecasts and kept a close watch over the warlike situation. The strategy of children prostrating under hot sun caught the limelight of the people across the globe and sympathy waves flowed in support of the people determined to sacrifice anything and everything for their land. People from 64 countries, in a signed petition, have urged the Chief Minister not to use force and hold dialogue with the people.

Jairam Ramesh also issued a statement to the state government that approval of the project by his ministry should not be treated a licence for the government to use force on people.

Uncertainty looms large

 While the administration has already acquired some 1800 acres of land out of proposed 3719 acres (reduced from the original plan of 4004 acres) and started construction work even when there is no valid MoU between the state government with the POSCO company, uncertainty looms large over the future of the project so also the life and livelihood of the people. Of 3719 acres, 2900 acres are forest land, which the government claims to be of its own. Claims under forest Rights Act have however not been settled, though administration claims that there are no eligible claimants for forest land in the area. Separate expert committee reports headed by N C Saxena and Meena Gupta have found gross violation of the forest rights law by the state government in the area.

22nd June was observed as the ‘Black Day’ by the anti-POSCO people in Govidnpur village. On this date in 2005 the MoU was signed by the state government with South Korea steel giant. On the day, while the retreat by the government was celebrated as a temporary victory of people, Abhaya Sahoo, the leader of PPSS cautioned people of the possible ploy of the government to come in a big way following the retreat. Prashant Paikrai, the spokesperson of PPSS Said “We have concrete information that the government is attempting to arrest leaders from the village including Abhaya Sahoo so that the movement becomes weak.” On the other hand the Chief Secretary of the state, Bijay Patnaik has reiterated that the government is for peaceful land acquisition. “We have asked the district administration to motivate people to cooperate the administration in support of the mega project”. But police platoon are still camping in the schools in the area raising doubts over the intention of the administration more so when no such offer of talks have been declared by administration despite repeated requests and petitions from different quarters. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) appealed the government to withdraw police force from the schools for their smooth functioning.

In the mean time some affected individuals like Nishakar Khatua and five others have filed writ petition near the state High Court to quash the forest and environment clearance order of the MoEF, GoI claiming that FRA is violated and to stop land acquisition in the area. The Court has started hearing the petition, though any concrete ruling is yet to come.

Coming days will determine the future of industrialisation in the state that has signed more than 79 MoUs in last ten years but whose track record of following them has been poor. The intent and courage of Naveen government in reckoning and accommodating the view of the people in the process will prove to be the key in resolving issues.

Author is a Freelance Journalist based in Bhubaneswar, Orissa. He can be contacted by e mail: 2006pradeep@gmail.com