1. The iron ores are going somewhere. The iron ores are mined as per the laws
of the land. Iron ores are one of the 10 strategic minerals as classified in
India and they are governed by existing rules. The mine that has been assigned
to Posco (Khandadhar, Sundargarh) was previously assigned to Kudremukh (a
public sector steel company based in Karnataka). Let us for a moment assume
the mine is reassigned to Kudremukh. I will like you to consider how Orissa
will be benefitted?
A. All Orissa will get is the royalty which is fixed. Kudremukh does not have
much money to spend on mining. They will mine and then leave the area as
Durgapur left the Bolani mines in Orissa after emptying the mine. So you
decide if Kudremukh taking the iron ores from Orissa and paying all taxes that
goes to Karnataka (as Karnataka will be getting some portion of the federal
income tax back) and also all the social development going to Karnataka or the
steel plant getting built in Orissa and Orissa receiving all the investment is
good for Orissa?
2. You need coke (coal) for the plant. Most of the coals will be imported so a
port is better for location. Also, most of the semi finished will be exported
so it is good for the plant to be located near a port. This is the reason, ore
is converted into slurry and is pumped to Visakhapatnam from Bailadila
(Chhatishgarh) and the plant is in Visakhapatnam. Even in USA, most of the
mines are in Michigan and Minnesota and yet you would not find many steel
plants in either of these two states.
A. Posco claims the F-grade coal (thermal grade with high ash content) mined in
Orissa could be used in their facility. Yet, they have not applied for their
coal block. Based on the irregular supply and high transportation cost, I
believe Posco may pursue to import the higher grade coal from either Australia
or Indonesia.
3. The people of India own the ores. The state receive a royalty for the land
that is above. The state cannot even surcharge a cess on top of the peanut
sized royalty.
Environmental Protection Group Orissa <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Jharkhand Forum | Jharkhand.org.in/forum
TATAs at it again in Kalinganagar. The model seems to have changed - instead
of State directly killing people opposing private comapnies like it did in
Kalinganager massacre, now it is allowing the companies to hire mafias to
finish off the resistance. One of the leaders of the movement opposing the TATA
project was killed recently by goons from Jamshedpur. In the POSCO affected
Jagatsinghpur, bomb throwing pro-posco goons managed to kill one person and
critically injured some more, who are still battleing for their lives.
Regards
Nachiketa
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Mamata Dash <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Jun 25, 2008 5:15 AM
Subject: Re: [forestrights] Fwd: Hundreds of goons surround Kalinga Nagar - "Do
they want another massacre?"
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], orissabachaoandolan [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Dear Friends,
This is yet another incident where people opposing land acquisition by the
state and companies are attacked in less than a week and this time in
Kalinganagar. It is very clear that these things are happening in areas which
are under heavy police deployment. There is a need to strongly condemn this act
by the goons and the state machinery's inaction to curb any violent activities
perpetrated by the miscreants.
We appeal to all of you to send out letter to the Chief Minister of Orissa by
email at [EMAIL PROTECTED] and / or fax the letter to 91-674-2400100 demanding
immediate action against the heavily armed assailants who are threatening the
lives of the local tribals.
In solidarity,
Mamata Dash
--- On Wed, 25/6/08, Surya Dash <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
From: Surya Dash <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [forestrights] Fwd: Hundreds of goons surround Kalinga Nagar - "Do
they want another massacre?"
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Wednesday, 25 June, 2008, 9:50 AM
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Surya Dash <dash.suryashankar@ gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Jun 25, 2008 at 1:43 PM
Subject: Hundreds of goons surround Kalinga Nagar - "Do they want another
massacre?"
To:
Trouble started brewing in Kalinga Nagar when on Monday TATA people tried
performing religious rituals at the proposed site in Kalinga Nagar despite
strong protests from locals. They were chased away by the local people but
ultimately performed the ritual in a different place near Maithan steel plant.
On Tuesday they made yet another attempt to break the people's resistance with
about 200 people camping in two different locations near the proposed site
supposedly for the construction of the boundary wall which has stopped since
2nd Jan 06 when the police shot dead men, women and children. Kalinga Nagar
Anti-displacement Forum activist (BBJM) Rabi Jarika claims these are not
construction workers but goons deployed to attack and harm the tribals
protesting against TATA. He is sure that the plan is to surround them from all
sides and attack like it has happened in similar situations elsewhere be it
proposed POSCO site at Dhinkia or Nandigram.
Seeing the heavy deployment of the goons the locals have now also assembled
at the proposed site and have braced themselves for yet another confrontation
to save their land. The tension reached a high point yesterday when almost two
dozen people in 7-8 motorcycles tried entering the proposed site. The locals
claim some of them were the likes of goons from Jamsedhpur deployed by TATA in
Kalinga Nagar. The locals captured these motorcycle borne troublemakers who
were not harmed, though the motorcycles were set afire and broken "to make it
loud and clear to the State and TATA company that they would continue to resist
the land grab and any such attempt to snatch their constitutional rights" said
Jarika. The motorcycle borne assailants are now hiding inside the Jindal steel
plant premises.
Rabi Jarika alleges that the district administration and police are hand in
glove with TATA goons as they only could have allowed such a massive deployment
of armed goons. According to the locals the TATA goons are well armed and have
come in cars and motorcycles using the main roads. BBJM activists claim that
such free movement of the goons can only be possible with the aid of the state.
"Do they want another massacre like 2nd Jan" asked Dabar Kalundia who had
survived a murderous attack on him by Arbind Sing, a TATA accomplice, on 1st
May this year. In that attack Amin Banara, another BBJM activist had been
killed by the bullets of the TATA goons. Previous to that Jogendra Jamuda had
been attacked by armed men which he miraculously survived. "While the goons are
armed with guns and bombs to attack us we are armed with our traditional
weapons like arrows and axes to protect ourselves" said Kalundia. Some of the
locals also allege that BJD minister Prafula Ghadei has a
big role to play.
"Where are the police, administration, political leaders and press now? They
are rather extending full support to these armed assailants by giving a free
run to the company goons, by not questioning TATA management, by branding our
resolution to not give up our land as Maoist." said Jarika. He has appealed to
concerned people to intervene and help stop the tension from escalating further
and resulting in a massacre of innocent tribals fighting for their life and
livelihood at the hands of company goons and police.
Jharkhand Forum | Jharkhand.org.in/forum
