On Thursday, famous Environmentalist and Agricultural Scientist, Vandana Shiva has joined dharna against the Posco’s project at Gobindpur in Jagatsinghpur district, Orissa. The anti-Posco agitation was started by the local residents against Posco’s proposed project worth Rs. 52,000 crore.

She has accused the government for snatching the houses and livelihood of poor villagers from the area by starting the construction of a boundary wall around the land already acquired for the project. The construction is done by the officials from the state-run Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDDCO).

She said that the government is working in favor of the South Korean steel major, which is affecting the local residents.

In an attempt to oppose the Posco steel project, the protestors observed a black day on Wednesday, June 22 because the Orissa government had signed a MoU with the South Korean company on June 22, 2005. Since the MoU was signed, a number of political leaders and social activists have joined the anti-Posco movement.

CPI Deputy General Secretary, Sudhakar Reddy has urged the state government to rethink before handing over the fertile land in these areas to the South Korean company.