like previous years, the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS) has decided to observe ‘Black Day’ on June 22, the day of signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the South Korean steel company Posco and the State Government in the year 2005.
According to PPSS spokesperson Prashant Paikary, they have been observing the ‘Black Day’ from 2006 in order to protest against the Government’s decision to set up a steel plant in Jagatsinghpur district by displacing hundreds of people and snatching away their livelihoods.
“For the last nine years, the Posco and the State Government have tried to sabotage our peaceful democratic movement, but we are determined to continue our fight till the Posco withdraws the project,” said Paikary in a Press release.
He also urged the people to support their cause and observe the ‘Black Day’ to foil the tactics of the Government and the Posco to compel the people to give up their struggle.
Paikray said that not only they protest the Posco, but supporters of the Hansua Bachao Sanghrash Samiti are also going to organise a mass demonstration before the district Collectorate at Jagatsinghpur on June 21 against the State Water Resources Department’s decision to draw water from river Hansua for construction of the proposed Posco steel plant.