Industrial Development vs Resistance - A Study of Posco Project in Odisha

Abstract

Magnitude of resistance to mega-industrial & other developmental projects by the project affected peoples has gradually been noticed in a greater scale in India. The present paper attempts to focus on the emerging issues related to the out raged protest movement launched by a large number of local inhabitants against land acquisition & other process for POSCO project in Jagatsingpur district of Odisha (India]. Since there appears to be two conflicting groups on the rationale for POSCO project, this paper also examines & analyses the perception of pro-project local peoples on the potential development prospects of the region during post –project implementation period. Since this study is explorative & descriptive, data collection was made using qualitative research methodology through both primary & secondary source.The study reveals that the economic & socio-cultural factors associated with the resistance of large number of local people are attributed to the issues like threat for land alienation, threat for loosing their agrarian structure of permanent livelihood source, threat for socio-cultural disintegration due to proposed displacement from their ancestral home, threat for water crisis due to poor water management policy & threat for ecological imbalance in the region etc. The study also suggests that the other section of peoples who supports the project, on the contrary, found very much optimistic regarding the positive impact of the project on the quality of lives of the local community in particular & inclusive growth of the state in general.