Posco to start construction of its steel plant on 1 April 2008

Undeterred by the kidnapping of its executives (See: Villagers take Posco officials hostage in Orissa) and strong local opposition to its proposed Rs52,000-crore ($13 billion) greenfield integrated steel plant in Orissa, South Korean steel major Posco has said it would begin construction of the plant, located near Paradip port, on 1 April 2008.

The announcement came after Posco''s board of directors, led by the company''s chief executive officer Ku-taek Lee, met Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik in New Delhi. The state government has agreed to the 1 April deadline, as the date is observed as Utkal Divas, which also happens to be Posco''s anniversary, Lee said.

Patnaik said that 512 acres of government land had already been sanctioned for the world''s fourth-largest steelmaker, while 3,000 acres of forest land has been cleared by the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC).

Posco says it needs 4,004 acres of land near Paradip to set up its proposed 12 million-tonne integrated steel plant, which has come up against fierce opposition from the local people. As a result, the land is yet to be handed over to Posco.

About allocation of captive iron ore mines to Posco, Patnaik said the state government would complete hearing of all applications for the Khandadhar mines in Sundargarh district by November. The Orissa government has already recommended Posco''s name for the prospecting licence (PL).

Patnaik also urged Lee to immediately start construction of transit accommodation for the displaced people, and a training centre to impart technical education to local youths, so that they could be provided with jobs when the plant comes up.

Lee also clarified that Posco had not closed down its Kujang office, though some of the staff were withdrawn from the area as a mark of cooperation with the local administration, which had suggested that company officials should not visit the plant site in view of the prevailing tension