Government to expedite construction work

PARADIP: The State Government has decided to expedite construction work of  rehabilitation colony of Posco project in Gadakujang block.IDCO Chairman-cum-Managing Director Priyabrat Patnaik reviewed the progress in the land acquisition and construction work on Tuesday with the district  officials.   Ancillary work at Mathasahi and Sanghai villages under the Nuagaon panchayat which started on Monday was stopped on Tuesday.During the last two days work at the rehabilitation colony at Polang and Noliasahi could not also progress following protests from villagers. Felling of trees, measurement of earth and other work for the project were also stopped.  The villagers of Nuagaon and Gadakujang are questioning the rationale behind the ongoing work when administration failed to acquire even an inch of land in the trouble-torn Dhinkia panchayat.  They have instead asked the administration to acquire land at Dhinkia where major portion of the project will be coming up.  United Action Committee secretary Nirbhya Samantray supported the demand of the villagers saying construction work at Gadakujang without land acquisition at Dhinkia is meaningless.  Kujang Tehsildar Basudev Pradhan said shortage of cutter machines might have affected the work, while a revenue official admitted that the administration was acting with caution.  Gadakujang Panchayat Samiti member Basudev Behera said that villagers had complained about plying of official vehicles in private properties without the consent of the owners.  Taking offence, they have denied entry of  vehicles transporting materials and machineries to the Posco project site.District Collector Narayan Chandra Jena, ADM Sarojkant Chaudhry, Special Land Acquisition officer Nrusingh Swain and other district  officials attended the  meeting.