Keonjhar Citizen’s forum to welcome industrialization and Mittals
INDUSTRY and INFRASTRUCTURE, Keonjhar, Steel, Value Addition November 10th. 2007, 10:56amFollowing is an excerpt from a report in Hindu. (Thanks to Deba Nayak for the pointer.)
… the poor people of the mineral-rich tribal population dominated district of Keonjhar are gearing up to welcome the Mittals and the tribe.
In a dramatic development, Kendujhar Nagarik Manch, the five-year-old district citizens’ forum, in its meeting on Friday resolved to host a symposium at the district headquarter on the need for industrialisation on December 2 to deliberate its benefits for the people of the district. “About 300 people including politicians, opinion makers, academicians, social activists and media persons would be attending it,” forum secretary Mr.Himansu Kuanr told The Hindu.
Industrialisation “We would welcome industrialisation with value addition,” he stated and added that the steel giants like the Mittal would be using the latest technology that would ensure minimum pollution. Sloppy land would be acquired for setting up of the plants and the packages being offered would also benefit the land losers, he said.
Some political parties are misguiding the people by spreading mis-information on the projects and thereby arresting development of the region through industrialisation, the forum’s spokesperson felt.
Mr.Kuanr further pointed out that in the past four years, minerals worth about Rs.36, 000 crore have been exported from the district without rendering any direct benefit to the people of the district. “As Haryana farmers have been amply benefited by industrialisation in and around Delhi, the farmers of the district would be similarly be benefited from industrialisation,” he reasoned.
February 16th, 2009 at 10:28 am
The immediate as well as the long term perspective of the people are of paramount importance – that should not be challenged by purchasing power of politics or the bargaining power of industrialism.A conducive alternative to the impasse could be achieved through dialogue and recognizance of best interests of the tribals, although they were the first to feed our industrial growth and last to suffer the resultant stigma.