KEONJHAR: The fifth gram sabha for the proposed mega steel plant in Keonjhar district was held peacefully at Angikla village under Chemana panchayat in Patna block on Wednesday.
The meeting sought public opinion on acquisition of 220.875 acres of private land from the village, part of the total 377.77 acres spanning 801 plots of 151 villagers, for the proposed six million tonne capacity project, to be jointly set up by JSW and POSCO with an investment of around `40,000 crore.
During the meeting, villagers demanded compensation of `15 crore per acre of land, along with provisions for education, healthcare, employment, and effective pollution control measures.
The meeting, held in a school yard near the village, was chaired by Chemana sarpanch Hemalata Naik in the presence of additional district magistrate Ravindra Kumar Pradhan, Patna tehsildar, and other administrative officials.
Residents facing land acquisition expressed concerns about their future, stating that the prospect of losing their land has left them in uncertainty over their livelihoods.
Responding to their concerns, the additional district magistrate assured that no one in the village would be displaced due to the project. Besides, all demands raised by the villagers would be communicated to the government, he added.