Land acquisition for NALCO project draws local opposition

Angul: Residents likely to be displaced by the brownfield expansion project of National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) Thursday opposed land acquisition, saying they would not part with their land under the company’s policy. A public hearing on rehabilitation and resettlement for the brownfield expansion project was conducted by the district administration at the Smelter Plant Training Centre of NALCO. The venue was heavily guarded, with heavy police deployment. People facing displacement alleged that they were subjected to extensive security checks before being allowed inside. They said metal detectors and explosive detection devices were used, and claimed that they were treated “like terrorists or Maoists” in an alleged attempt to intimidate them.

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Expressing strong resentment over the arrangements, the affected residents declared the public hearing a failure and reiterated their refusal to give land under the existing NALCO policy.

However, the administration maintained that the hearing was conducted smoothly. Additional District Magistrate (ADM-Revenue) Uday Kumar Mohapatra said the process was orderly and described the public hearing as successful. The public hearing on rehabilitation and resettlement for the proposed expansion of the brownfield project began at 10am under the chairmanship of ADM (Revenue) Mohapatra.

Senior officials, including NALCO Executive Director Sachidananda Jena, its Special Land Acquisition Officer Jayajit Dhal and Angul Tehsildar Alok Dehury, were present on the dais. ADM Mohapatra read out the policy framed by NALCO for people likely to lose land. Affected residents then voiced their concerns, terming the policy “anti-people” and declaring they would not part with their land under any circumstances. Bibekananda Rath of Kangula mouza said his ancestral land had been acquired by NALCO in 1981-82, but he has yet to receive a job. “Now the company is seeking more land but is backtracking on permanent employment,” he said, adding he would not give land again. Devaraj Sahu said he would neither give land to NALCO nor accept compensation or a job. Hari Singh of Kulad mouza, who faces the highest displacement, alleged heavy police deployment as if villagers were “Maoists or terrorists” and accused the company of forcibly grabbing land. He claimed around half of his land was not included in the notification but is now being taken over. Rashmi Ranjan Sahu said officials had earlier told them land classification would not matter for the project. “If all land is treated equally, then employment should also be provided equally to all,” he said. Pratap Nath of Bentpur village said NALCO had not responded even 45 days after a letter from the District Collector. “If it ignores the administration, how will it listen to common people?” he said. Bibhuti Bhushan Tripathy, president of Nuasahi village, said land acquisition through police intimidation would never succeed.

Around 50 affected persons spoke at the public hearing, reiterating their refusal to give land and alleging they were not being given adequate opportunity to present their demands. However, speaking to mediapersons after the meeting, Mohapatra said the hearing was conducted peacefully and successfully. He added that the demands raised would be discussed in the Rehabilitation and Peripheral Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) meeting.