BHUBANESWAR: The situation at the proposed steel plant site becomes tense as land acquisition by steel major Posco in the Jagatsinghpur district gain momentum after the Orissa government stepped in. Last month Jairam Ramesh-led Environment Ministry gave the go-ahead to the Korean steel giant to build the steel plant, but the farmers are still agitating against land acquisition. Orissa government keeps 20 platoons of armed police ready to move in at the proposed plant site if the farmers' agitation turns violent. The 20 platoons of armed police force have already reached the Dhinikia gram panchayat, even as hundreds of farmers have been keeping vigil at the village border. Posco has got the final clearance last month for its steel plant to be set up in Jagatsinghpur district. In June 2005, the Naveen Patnaik govt had inked the MoU with Posco, which it is the single largest foreign investment in India. However, anti-Posco activists have slammed the government for its u-turn on the controversial project. "This is a serious violation of Forest Rights Act and the government has attempted to avoid village level consent of people and palli sabha. This is clear violation of which has been reflected in official committee reports of Meena Gupta and Saxena. Jairam Ramesh of MoS Environment and Forests had stopped work last year. Now he has given in to pressure and violated the recommendations of his committees," said Anti-Posco Activist Ajay Sahu. "We do not need the government's compensation. It will get exhausted in a few years. Our livelihood is more important. Let the forces come we are ready to die for our land," said Dhinkla farmer Shanti Das. "I am here to save my land from Posco. If the police come, I am ready to fight," said Sanghamitra, another protestor from Dhinkla.
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