Posco: CPM delegation to visit ground zero

BHUBANESWAR: Even as the Government was forced to suspend land acquisition for the Posco steel project following stiff opposition from Dhinkia people, a CPM delegation led by party’s leader in the Lok Sabha Basudev Acharya will visit Ground Zero on Tuesday to lend support to the agitating local people. The CPM is not opposed to industrialisation but against forcible land acquisition, said party’s State committee secretary Janardan Pati. The CPM leader said there was no change in his party’s stand on the Posco project. The Government should acquire land through peaceful negotiation with the people. If the local people are opposed to the acquisition, the Government should find an alternative site for the project. The CPM State executive committee which met here on Sunday discussed the issue and wanted that the State’s interest should not be compromised during renewal of the MoU which expired on June 22 last year.  The party has decided to organise a rally here on July 15 to press for its demand for revision of minimum wage from ` 90 to ` 200, land to the landless families, ration cards to all households irrespective of their economic status and job to jobless youth. It also demanded increase in the monthly  old age, widow and disabled persons pension from ` 200 to ` 1,000.  While Government employees are enjoying enhanced salary as per recommendation of the Sixth Pay Commission and salary of MLAs was increased three times, there is no logic not to increase the minimum wages for labourers. It is an admitted fact that there is huge demand for labourers who are commanding minimum wage of more that ` 200 a day.  Pati said that his party had been organising public movement across the state on these issues since the first week of April. More than 250 party activists were courted arrest during launching of civil disobedience movement.  Alleging that the Government has failed to provide certified seeds to the farmers for the kharif season, the CPM leader said that the Government had the capacity to supply only 50 per cent of the total requirement.   Responding to a query, he said that neither the Congress nor the BJP wants a strong Lokpal bill. The CPM did not support the manner in which Anna Hazare wanted the bill to be drafted. All political parties should be taken into confidence on the issue, he said.