POSCO WAS TRULY CAUGHT UNAWARES BY THE QUANTUM OF OPPOSITION FOR THE STEEL PROJECT. RECENT TRENDS PROVIDE HOPE FOR A BREAK IN THE DEADLOCK
Finally, a silver lining has appeared for the gigantic $12 billion POSCO project in India, which has caught the fancy of one and all. Success for the project has proved elusive ever since it was conceptualised due to the impasse over the allotment of land to the company.
The deadlock over the land acquisition for the project of POSCO has been eased too an extent, as POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS), the group which has been vehemently opposed to the project, has given assurance to cooperate with the socio-economic survey at the proposed site in Orissa. This development came following the PPSS representative’s meeting with the Orissa’s Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. However, the road to a peaceful solution still remains ‘under construction’, as PPSS chairman Abhay Sahu asserts that demand for shifting the site is non-negotiable.
The proposed plant site consists of 4,004 acres of land, spanning three gram panchayats (Dhinkia, Nuagaon & Gadakujang) in Jagatsinghpur district of coastal Orissa, which are agriculturally fertile and providing livelihood to the locals. Scores of villagers have been protesting against the project; claiming it will displace them from their homeland and ruin their economy.
Apart from the issue of displacement, the Forest Right Act (FRA) has emerged as a major hurdle in the way of smooth land acquisition. Out of the demarcated 4,004 acres, 2,900 acres is deemed forest land, which need clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests. Though the POSCO project has been able to get a conditional forest clearance, the state government has to settle the rights of the forest dwellers under the FRA and obtain their consent.
The state government had told the environment ministry that there are no tribals in the area and no other traditional forest dwellers have cultivated forest land for the past 75 years, which would have brought them under the ambit of the FRA. But these claims have been challenged by activists. PPSS maintains that the locals are in possession of these forest lands and cannot part with their means of livelihood.
Finally, a silver lining has appeared for the gigantic $12 billion POSCO project in India, which has caught the fancy of one and all. Success for the project has proved elusive ever since it was conceptualised due to the impasse over the allotment of land to the company.
The deadlock over the land acquisition for the project of POSCO has been eased too an extent, as POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS), the group which has been vehemently opposed to the project, has given assurance to cooperate with the socio-economic survey at the proposed site in Orissa. This development came following the PPSS representative’s meeting with the Orissa’s Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. However, the road to a peaceful solution still remains ‘under construction’, as PPSS chairman Abhay Sahu asserts that demand for shifting the site is non-negotiable.
The proposed plant site consists of 4,004 acres of land, spanning three gram panchayats (Dhinkia, Nuagaon & Gadakujang) in Jagatsinghpur district of coastal Orissa, which are agriculturally fertile and providing livelihood to the locals. Scores of villagers have been protesting against the project; claiming it will displace them from their homeland and ruin their economy.
Apart from the issue of displacement, the Forest Right Act (FRA) has emerged as a major hurdle in the way of smooth land acquisition. Out of the demarcated 4,004 acres, 2,900 acres is deemed forest land, which need clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests. Though the POSCO project has been able to get a conditional forest clearance, the state government has to settle the rights of the forest dwellers under the FRA and obtain their consent.
The state government had told the environment ministry that there are no tribals in the area and no other traditional forest dwellers have cultivated forest land for the past 75 years, which would have brought them under the ambit of the FRA. But these claims have been challenged by activists. PPSS maintains that the locals are in possession of these forest lands and cannot part with their means of livelihood.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine
IIPM Best B School India
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM's Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM B-School Detail
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine
IIPM Best B School India
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM's Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM B-School Detail
