Bhusan steel yet to finalise land price

ANGUL: Locals vehemently opposed land acquisition for development of coal block for Bhusan Steel Limited without appropriate compensation and rehabilitation. They expressed reservations at the Rehabilitation and Peripheral Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) meeting held here on Tuesday.While villagers of Patrapara and Pipalbahal said they were not aware of the land acquisition process, BJD MLA Khageswar Behera pleaded ignorance on its progress till now.The people of the two affected villages have demanded ` 50 lakh per acre of their land. A committee comprising district administration, company officials and the local villagers would hold a meeting to finalise the land compensation amount, Land Acquisition Officer Biranchi Das said. The meeting touched upon the possibility of developing 321 acres for a resettlement colony, Das added.Bhusan Steel requires 2,738 acres for its coal mine at Patrapara and Pipalibahal affecting about 2,468 families. North RDC Kishore Barik chaired the meeting.  MP Amar Pradhan and MLA Behera were present.