The authorities in the state of in Odisha are acquiring land for the Posco steel plant in Jagatsinghpur district even as protestors gather to prepare for protest against the project.

Hundreds of angry villagers including large number of women gathered to protest against the land acquisition work in the Jagatsinghpur district, where the authorities have been deploying security arrangements to speed up the process of land acquisition work for the Posco Project.

It is believed that the land acquisition drive continued peacefully near Paradip for the second day at Gobindpur in Jagatsinghpur district on Monday. The chairman and managing director (CMD) of Posco India, Y W Yoon met state development commissioner, J K Mohapatrato discuss the project in the state.

The central government is looking to review the plans by South Korean steel major Posco to invest Rs. 52,000 crore in plants in the state of Odisha. Commerce Minister Anand Sharma has said that the government is committed to ensure that the project takes off smoothly. He has recently assured South Korean Minister of Knowledge Economy Sukwoo Hong that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is monitoring the project.

Posco steel is planning to build a 12 million tonnes per annum steel project but the project was stalled in 2005 mainly due to opposition from local people against land acquisition and difficulties in obtaining clearances.