Mining giant offers peanuts

South korean steel major posco has announced a rehabilitation package for people using the forestland diverted for its proposed steel plant in Jagatsinghpur district of Orissa through Oriya newspapers.

Activists led by the posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (ppss) made a bonfire of the printed copies of the rehabilitation package on February 14 and demanded shifting of the project site.

“Who would accept one time payment against land that has fed them for generations?” asked Sisir Mohapatra, general secretary of  ppss. Villagers affiliated to the United Action Committee, perceived as a pro- posco  group, also rejected the offer saying it is too little (see box).