Bhubaneswar: The Orissa government on Monday said it
cannot stop developmental activities at Posco's proposed steel
plant site and wait for passage of the Land Acquisition (LA)
Act in the Parliament.
This was stated by Revenue and Disaster Management
Minister S N Patro while responding to a question on
opposition BJP's demand for a halt to land acquisition for
Posco's proposed mega steel plant near Paradip.
BJP leader and former revenue minister B B Harichandan
had demanded a halt to land acquisition at Posco's proposed
plant site till passage of the LA bill, scheduled to be tabled
in the coming session of the Parliament.
The project affected people would get maximum benefit
after passage of the new LA Act, Harichandan said, adding
the state government must stop in the interest of the people.
Patro, however, said he had been hearing about LA Act for
last four years. "Is there any guarantee that the Bill for the
purpose will be passed this time," the minister asked, adding
developmental activities cannot be stopped.
He, however, said the state government would certainly
ensure that the affected people get maximum benefit after the
LA Act come into force.
Meanwhile, a report from Paradip said Jagatsinghpur
district administration along with officials of Industrial
Development and Infrastructure Corporation (IDCO) continued
tree felling at the proposed Posco project area near Paradip
today.
PTI
First Published: Monday, July 25, 2011, 21:22