PARADIP: A large number of villagers including women of Handia in Jagatsinghpur once again stopped construction work of the boundary wall of ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel (AMNS) plant here on Tuesday seeking fulfilment of their long-standing demands.
Alleging that none of their demands including compensation, rehabilitation and employment has been fulfilled, the protestors under the banner of Gramya Surakshya Committee, Handia also staged dharna at the construction site.
Sources said in 2008, Essar Steel had acquired 394 acre land at Handia for expansion of its steel plant. Around 80 families of the village were also served displacement notice.
The company had assured of providing employment to one member of each displaced family. It was also decided that Essar Steel will provide maintenance allowance to unemployed youths, stipend to students and develop roads and health infrastructure in the area. In 2019, Essar sold its plant to AMNS.
The villagers alleged that while the promises made to them were not fulfilled, the steel plant was sold to AMNS. President of the committee Sashikant Mohanty said the company has started construction of the plant’s boundary wall without fulfilling the promises. “We will continue to protest till our demands are met,” he added.
Till reports last came in, no official from AMNS or the district administration had reached the agitation site for discussion with the protesting villagers. In December last year, the villagers had similarly foiled the attempts to construct the steel plant’s boundary wall at Handia.