Ostracised families knock on HC

The 52 families of Patana and another 12 of Gobindpur who were ostracised by antiPosco activists for supporting the steel project, have sought the Orissa High Court intervention into their plight. The families, led by Chandan Mohanty, filed public interest litigations (PILs) against the State Government, Jagatsinghpur administration and leaders of Posco Pratirodha Sangram Samiti. Their demands include resettlement in native villages and provision of maintenance allowance, education, health and other basic amenities. These families knocked on the High Court door after their repeated pleas to the Chief Minister, the Governor and the district administration to resettle them in their villages at Patana of Dhinkia panchayat failed to elicit any response. Around 217 members of these families are living in a rehabilitation colony of the company. Though Posco has been giving maintenance allowance to 52 families of Patana, no allowance has yet been given to the families from Gobindpur, claimed a villager. Besides, 12 families of Gobindpur were forced to leave their village in 2008 due to clashes between the anti and proPosco activists in which a person from the antiPosco camp was killed. Meanwhile, United Action Committee (UAC) has also appealed to the district administration to help the families to return to their villages.Work Continues to be StalledWork remained stalled at Posco's proposed plant site near Paradip for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday, prompting Jagatsinghpur administration to invite agitating villagers for talks to break the deadlock. The administrative sources said that members of the United Action Committee (UAC), who are opposing the work on boundary wall and rehabilitation colony in Nuagaon and Gadakujang areas were invited for talks. Stating that the administration was waiting for UAC response, the sources added that the deadlock over UAC's six demands was likely to be resolved in two to three days to pave the way for resumption of project activities. UAC's demands include contract work for the local youths, rise in the price of homestead and agricultural land and increase in the compensation for betel vine workers and others.