A JSW iron ore dust and beneficiation plant proposed to set up at Gobardhanpur village of Deojhar gram panchayat under Joda block of Keonjhar distrct faced stiff opposition from locals on Thursday.
A gram sabha prpposed to be held for the purpose was to be cancelled on Thursday in the face of uproar from the locals.
According sources, the Government had approved JSW company to set up a plant in 38.59 acres of land which includes both forest and Government, besides some land owned by local adivasi people.
But as per FRA-2006 and its amended version in 2012 , it is necessary to take the opinion of the affected forest dwellers to change the title of the forest land to non-forest land.
Accordingly, a Gram Sabha was to be held at 3 pm on Thursday in the club house of Lahanda village of Birikala GP adjacent to the proposed plant but dispute stà rted when the meeting place was changed to Lahanda village ground situated at a distance of 2 km from the original place.
The affected villagers protested the change of venue and boycotted the meeting.
The villagers shouted slogans against the company officials.
One Devananda Mahanta, who is affected by the project , alleged that knowing full well that the villagers are opposing the company for its anti people activities, the authorities in nexus with company officials changed the venue to get it approved in a clandestine way and the affected people did not get the opportunity to highlight their grievances.
Their other allegation is that the company is not acknowledging the outstanding due of the affected people from the Crackers India Pvt LTD, the founding company whose ownership has changed in the name of JSW Utkal Steel Ltd after agreement between the two.
As the villagers shouted, the Gram Sabha was cancelled.