Posco should dhift site: Bardhan

PARADIP: CPI general secretary A B Bardhan on Sunday said Posco should give up the idea of setting up its mega steel plant at Dhinkia.It should instead be shifted to a nearby place having less human habitation and barren land, he added.He was here to inaugurate the 20th Odisha State Council of the Communist Party of India.Bardhan said though the CPI had written to the Prime Minister over shifting of the plant, no action was taken.He also condemned the arrest of anti-Posco leader Abhaya Sahu and demanded his immediate release.Opposing captive mining by Posco, he said the company should procure iron ore from the State Government undertaking Odisha Mining Corporation at the market rate for use in its proposed steel plant.The conference will continue for four days and different issues associated with the industrial and agricultural policy of the State Government would be discussed.It deliberated on the future of the CPI in political arena and also analysed the performance of the party candidates in the last Assembly and Parliamentary elections.The leaders admitted to structural problems in the party leading to failure of the candidates.They said steps would be taken to strengthen the party base at the grassroots.CPI leader Abani Baral and local MP Bibhu Prasad Tarai were present.