A day after the Orissa government halted land acquisition for the controversial POSCO project, its detractors observed Wednesday as a 'Black Day' to protest the anniversary of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the state government and the steel giant six years ago. On Tuesday, the Jagatsinghpur district administration suspended land acquisition for the 12-million tonne steel plant project after protests escalated in Gobindpur village with leaders of the Congress, CPI,...

Orissa is all set to renew its memorandum of understanding (MoU) with steel major POSCO with a one-year retrospective effect by June 30th. The MoU for the proposed 12 million ton steel plant had expired on June 22, 2010 after a period of five years. State steel and mines minister Raghunath Mohanty said all formalities required for renewal of the MoU will be over shortly and the government would revalidate...

Even as the Orissa government suspended land acquisition for the proposed mega steel plant of POSCO in this seaside block in Jagatsinghpur district for an indefinite period on Tuesday, senior leaders of the Communist Party of India and Communist Party of India (Marxist) expressed their solidarity with the villagers opposing the venture. Veteran CPI MP Gurudas Dasgupta and senior CPI(M) MP Basudev Acharya demanded that the Naveen Patnaik government stop forceful...

-The Times of India   Unperturbed over the stiff protest against the proposed POSCO steel plant, the Orissa government on Tuesday said it would start project-related work in areas already acquired in Jagatsinghpur district. The government, however, suspended further land acquisition for the time being. "We have already acquired 1,800 acres of land for the proposed plant near Paradip and are beginning project-related work in the area already acquired," said chief...

Orissa government is finding it difficult to acquired land for POSCO's Rs 52,000 crore steel project as anti-displacement brigade gained strength from political parties and social activists with Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patker on Monday visiting Dhinkia, the entry point to the proposed plant site on Monday and lending her support to protester. Last week social activists Swami Agnibesh visited Dhinkia and warned the government of any violence...