An anti displacement group said that it will launch a nationwide agitation against the conditional approval granted by the environment ministry Monday to South Korean steel major POSCO's USD 12 billion project in Orissa.

The POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti which has been spearheading the movement against the project in the coastal district of Jagatsinghpur, described the decision of the government as unfortunate.

Mr Prasant Paikray a spokesman of PPSS told IANS that “We will take the protest to New Delhi. All those who have been against displacement will join us. We will jointly launch a nationwide agitation.”

He said the PPSS has planned a massive rally February 1 near Dhinkia village, one of the areas affected by the project, to protest the environment ministry's decision.

Thousands of villagers have been opposing the project, saying it will displace them from their homelands and ruin their betel leaf farms.

(Sourced from IANS)