Congress to oppose Tata’s public hearing in Ganjam

Berhampur: Ganjam District Congress Committee (GDCC) is preparing to oppose the public hearing by Tata Company on September 20 at Chamakhandi near Chatrapur. The GDCC has demanded that Tata should disburse the acquired land to the owner of the land otherwise establish the steel plant, which was proposed 16 years back.

Tata decided to arrange a public hearing meeting for the establishment of an Industrial Park on the acquired land by Tata Company. After 16 years of land acquisition by Tata, the public hearing is going to be arranged now, which is ridiculous, informed the GDCC.

The GDCC alleged that Tata had acquired 3700 acre Government along with private land to set up a big steel project at Chamakhandi near Chatrapur but the company derailed from its commitment and now it is planning for an Industrial park and re-rolling mill. Before, the company was talking about the investment of 10,000 crore which is decreased to 1,000 crore now. Due to this land acquisition, thousands of families were in distress by loosing their cultivable land of thousands of crores in market value.

District Congress criticized government’s Tata policy and demanded to take appropriate steps to bring back the rest of the lands. It also claimed that the company becomes a big Zamindar by acquiring such huge amount of land in the guise of Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

They alleged that the time of the agreement for the establishment of the proposed steel project between the State and Tata Company is already ended. So they have no right to exercise their power on the land. Even the work to set up an Industrial park has not finished yet, though the deadline is 2012 set by the Company.

While the Coordinator of Tata Company for the Gopalpur Project and a Trade Union leader Daniel Das said that Tata will start its work gradually from small to big project, but we have to wait. Industrialization can not be achieved overnight.

“Due to some reason Tata could not set up the proposed steel project here which was established in Kalinganagar. Tata was proposed to set up a steel plant in Odisha and Kalinganagar is not outside of Odisha.  Tata is committed to establish an industry in Gopalpur which is continuing”, said Das.