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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | A vision on land

A vision on land

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published Published on Jun 24, 2011   modified Modified on Jun 24, 2011
-The Economic Times

Reports say that land acquisition for the proposed mega plant of Korean steel major Posco, off Paradip in coastal Orissa, has come to a grinding halt following incessant protests by men, women and children in the affected villages in the area, especially Dhinkia and Govindpur.

It is now glaringly evident that a sorry lack of vision in garnering land for project implementation is stalling industry, new jobs and attendant economic modernisation. It is essential that the project-affected perceive themselves as having a stake in the Posco plant, and that they stand to gainfully benefit thanks to the investment in the pipeline.

And if the people feel they are being made to give up their land and livelihood for measly sums, they are unlikely to play ball with the authorities.

Posco surely needs to offer fair compensation to those directly affected - both landowners and those dependent on it - rather than farm out land acquisition to the state government, with generous scope for strong-arm tactics and the like. That would delay and perhaps stall the whole process indefinitely.

Reportedly, Posco has begun building housing colonies for the other three villages on the project site where land acquisition has taken place. The hope apparently is that the provision of housing would persuade the two remaining villages to agree to land being acquired. But the point remains that only a tiny part of the total project costs of $12 billion would be for land acquisition, and it is vital that those directly affected do not feel shortchanged.

Local leaders in Dhinkia and Govindpur villages, egged on by bleeding hearts from elsewhere, seem opposed to the Posco project whatever the terms. But this is simply elitism. The idea that village folk continue to cultivate betel vines on a sandy stretch of land adjoining the sea and drive away industry in the process implies status quo and worse. It suggests a backward stance.

Reports say the Posco project requires about 3,700 acres of land, much of it government-owned, of which only about 150 acres is private land. Nevertheless, what is crucial is proper compensation for loss of land and livelihood and enough scope for re-skilling and rehabilitation.

The Economic Times, 24 June, 2011, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/editorial/a-vision-on-land/articleshow/8971209.cms


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