It is reported that more than 30 people were arrested while trying to obstruct the land acquisition for the INR 52,000 crore POSCO steel plant even as the work for acquiring land progressed amid tight security.

As per report, activists of United Action Committee, who earlier backed the mega project, were taken into custody while blocking the entry route to Gada Kujanga opposing the land acquisition work, resumed after nine months on May 18th 2011.

The protesters, who were shifted to Paradip following their arrest, were later released on personal bonds.

UAC, hitherto considered as a group of villagers backing the project, turned hostile on May 18th 2011 and announced its decision to oppose land acquisition for POSCO plant saying the government failed to meet its demands.

Mr SK Das Additional Superintendent of Police of Paradip said that "About 20 people were arrested after efforts to persuade them to clear the blockade at Gada Kujanga failed."

He added that the UAC president Mr Anadi Rout was among those held.

He said that "There has been no untoward incident in any part of the proposed POSCO project site and land acquisition work progressed in a peaceful manner."

Officials said that though the activists of POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti blocked the road to Dhinkia and Gobindpur and supporters of Bhitamati Suraksha Manch staged a blockade near Nuagaon, land acquisition work continued smoothly in gada Kujanga area in the proposed project site.

Police said that over 700 police personnel were deployed in Balitutha, Gobindpur, Gada Kujanga, Nuagaon and other areas in order to ensure smooth land acquisition work and prevent any untoward incident in view of threat by anti POSCO activists and outfits to oppose the process.

(Sourced from PTI and BL)