Jajpur,
Jan 17
At least two land surveyors working for Tata Steel were beaten up
Wednesday in Orissa's Jajpur district by angry villagers who fear
the company's proposed steel plant in the region would displace
them.
The incident took place at about 1.40 p.m. near Kalamatia village in
Kalinga Nagar industrial complex, some 60 km from the district
headquarters of Jajpur, when the team of surveyors hired by the
Tatas was conducting contour surveys without informing the district
administration, District Collector Arabinda Padhi told IANS.
The surveyors of a Bhubaneswar-based firm, Eco-design, arrived at
the place, parked their vehicle near Kalamatia village and started a
contour survey of the trouble-torn land, the official said.
Trouble started when the team was blasting to a nearby hut on the
contour area, he said. Hearing the blasting sound at least 40 people
of about three local villages, Gadapur, Chandia and Baligotha,
gathered at the site and attacked the surveyors and beat them up
with sticks, he said.
While two members of the team sustained injuries, two members and
the driver of the vehicle fled from the spot leaving their vehicle
behind. The attackers damaged the vehicle badly.
After being told about the incident by the driver and others the
Kalinga Nager police rushed to the site and sent the injured for
treatment.
While one of the team members sustained head injuries, the other had
a fracture. They were out of danger, hospital sources said.
"Although the situation is normal now, we have deployed police force
in the area immediately after the incident," said Padhi who was
camping at the spot.
The incident could have been avoided if the surveyors had informed
the district administration in advance, Padhi said.
"I have strictly instructed Tata Steel not to send any of its
employees or outside experts to the troublesome land after the
Kalinga Nagar incident," he said.
At least 13 tribals were killed and several injured when police
opened fired on hundreds of tribal agitators in the Kalinga Nagar
industrial complex on Jan 2, 2006, located at a distance of about
100 km from state capital Bhubaneswar.
The tribals had clashed with police to protest against the
construction of a boundary wall by Tata Steel.
They have blocked a highway since the day of the firing. The police
and district officials have failed in lifting the blockade despite
several attempts.
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