Posco and Khandadhar Mines

# Prafulla Das ( Senior Journalist )

Khandadhar waterfall, one of the tallest waterfalls in India, may turn into an iron ore mining area if the Naveen Patnaik Government has its way. Thank God a revolt is already brewing in Keonjhar and Sundargarh.

( 40 people like it )

# Saibal Dasgupta

List the last 10 major projects proposed in Orissa. Check how many of them faced public agitations.

If you think I am being  pro-Patnaik, try the same exercise for the earlier Congress government.

Granted there may be some truth in what agitators are saying in this particular case, but isn’t Orissa losing out because agitators oppose almost every project on streets and courts?

Do a survey of people in this agitation, and see how many really understand the issue and how many are slackers looking for free food? For agitation leaders, it is an occupation.

Your voice is important and respected. You want to lend it to this agitation at the cost of new employment and development?

# Biswajit Mohanty

Posco project is actually a state sponsored loot of our mineral resources. Why give Posco iron ore at Rs.500-600 per tonne when the market price is Rs.5,000 to Rs.6,000 ?

# Basudev Mahapatra @ Saibal Dasgupta:

If people oppose every project, what are the reasons? Instead of taking last 10 projects, signed, as sample, it needs to take the first 10 projects, already realised, as sample and evaluate how far the promises made by the governments are kept and if the quality of life of the displaced and affected people has really improved.

The second question is – is creating a force of industrial labourers going to solve the unemployment issue of India? The question seems quite relevant to me as the union RD minister once opined that MGNREGA is not a permanent solution to India’s unemployment problem.

The other question that seems most important to me is, how do we define development? And, whose development we are really concerned about?

In almost all realised projects, the real beneficiaries are those who had to lose nothing for the projects. Those who lost everything simply live as wage earners. If you scan the issues of displaced families of Hirakud, MCL and RSP, hundreds of families are displaced twice/ thrice to make space for the projects but their compensation issues are still unresolved as each company shifts the responsibility to the other.

So, if it is development for the non-losers, the projects mean misery to the real losers!

# Sandeep Jena

Then why did Mamata kick out TATA from its land..that was a mega project which could have earned a lot more what Jamshedpur is minting today…do you think Mamata is a fool….Odisha is not for granted for any Tom – Dick & Harry….my comment may look absurd but it has a meaning and some could very well understand it….talking GREEN and looking for RED is not wise…..Green means Green and Red means Red

# Tapan Padhi

We must ask Naveen, who and why anyone needs iron ore from Khandadhar, the people or the company ?

# Sudhansu Sekhar Deo

Say no to Naveen in 2014 assembly election. He has crossed the limit.

# Mohan Majithia

So sad !!