ROURKELA: Three police officers were injured after a mob resorted to stone pelting outside the Bikash Bhawan complex at Sundargarh town while the Rehabilitation & Periphery Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) meeting of two mega power projects was underway on Saturday.
The projects are Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) of PFC at Bhedabahal and Darlipali Super Thermal Power Project of NTPC at Darlipali.
According to reports, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram, BJD’s Dilip Tirkey, RDC (North) PK Meherda, Sundargarh Collector Bhupendra Singh Poonia and Sundargarh MLA Yogesh Singh participated in the meeting where issues of rehabilitation and resettlement were being discussed.
The mob comprising displaced persons tried to force their way into the venue which was opposed by the cops on duty.
The agitators were apparently, against the probable location of the rehabilitation and resettlement colony (R&R) of the UMPP.
When cops prevented them, some agitators hurled a stone at the vehicle of Oram and soon others followed the suit. In the melee, three cops and four villagers were injured. Police resorted to baton charge and brought the situation under control.
Collector Poonia said the UMPP project affected families have been given 15 days time to choose from two probable locations. He said the administration has offered to set up the R&R colony at Bhedabahal on 700 acres of land instead of the 350 acres of land that was earlier proposed.
The villagers are demanding to set up the R&R Colony adjacent to the officers’ colony at Bhedabahal. Poonia said in that case, only 125 acres are available there and each of the affected families would get five decimals of land instead of 10 decimals.