[Reader-list] Fwd: Group clashes in Gobindapur over Posco

[Asit Das]

 Group clashes in Gobindapur over Posco

By Express News Service - PARADIP

31st May 2013 12:13 PM

Despite deployment of one platoon of police force, law and order situation
worsened in Gobindapur village due to group clash on Thursday. Betel vine
demolition drive for proposed Posco steel plant project was affected as
tension gripped the village after clashes between two groups of Harijanshai
and two youth groups.

According to sources, last week one Samir Das of the village had handed
over his betel vine to the administration despite the opposition of
villagers in lieu of Rs 1.13 lakh as compensation. Earlier, Das had
borrowed Rs 40,000 from another villager Trinath Bhoi to erect betel vine.
After Das violated the villagers’ decision, annoyed Bhoi demanded his money
back. When Das refused to return the money, Bhoi forcibly tried to extract
money from Das leading to clash between two groups.

Nearly 150 Dalit families of the village have been opposing boundary
demarcation and trench cutting work for the project. They alleged that the
administration had demolished betel vines of nearly 22 Dalit families on
the promise of giving new betel vines but nothing has been given as
compensation.
“The administration has forcibly acquired our land without paying any
compensation. So, we have sought the intervention of the Orissa High Court
and Human Rights Commission,'said the villagers.