Rabi Ray asks villagers to unite against Posco project

Rabi Ray asks villagers to unite against Posco project

Statesman News Service / JAGATSINGHPUR

25th January 2006

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Mr Rabi Ray has exhorted the villagers who are facing displacement due to the proposed Posco steel plant to unite and resist any such move.

Addressing a meeting organised by the Naba Nirman Samiti at Kujang yesterday, Mr Ray criticised the state government for surrendering the interest of its people to a foreign company.

The sophisticated and highly mechanised industry will not provide jobs and people will become beggars, he warned. Life and property, livelihood and environment will be destroyed he alleged. He expressed apprehensions that the agriculture economy of the region was at stake and the government is mindlessly signing MoUs. At this rate even the mineral wealth will vanish in the next 30 years and state will be ruined he said. A strong and united peoples movement can stall such designs of the government, he stated. A few others who spoke at the meeting dealt with the "perils" of WTO and the invasion by multinationals while drawing parallel to the entry of the East India Company.

Besides, the Paradip port would face stiff and unfair competition since the government has agreed to allow Posco to establish a dedicated port in the same area, they noted. Agriculture crops, betel vines, cashew, vegetables, fish which is the mainstay of the region will be severely affected and thousands would loose their employment, said the samiti members.

Social activists Ms Sumitra Chaudhry, Ms Sileja Rabi, Mr Prafulla Samantra, Mr P Kuanr and others spoke on the occasion and protested against the project. Mr B Swain presided over the meeting.