Bhubaneswar, July 25 (IANS) The economic blockade, launched by villagers near a steel project site in Odisha demanding higher compensation for land, was lifted Wednesday after the authorities agreed to consider their demands, police said.
Since Monday, hundreds of people had blocked the roads leading to a Jindal Steel and Power Ltd project site in Nisha village near Angul town, about 160 km from here.
They lifted the blockade after the district administration assured them of considering their demands at the Aug 18 Rehabilitation and Peripheral Development Advisory Committee meeting, police officer S.N. Muduli told IANS.
"The villagers have said that they have suspended the protest until the meeting and will resume it if their demands were not met," he said.
The protesters accuse the company of paying them lesser compensation for loss of land as compared to other companies. They are also demanding permanent job for those who have given up their lands.
Construction work at the site had suffered since the villagers were not allowing the workers to join.
Jindal Steel and Power Ltd is building a six-million tonne per annum steel plant along with an 810-MW captive power generation facility in the area.
In January too, construction work was disrupted after villagers held demonstrations demanding more compensation.
