GRIM BATTLE: The family members of Ati Jamuda of Chandia village, who was killed in the police firing. — Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty

KALINGA NAGAR: The tribals of Kalinga Nagar in Orissa's Jajpur district have taken a vow not to vacate their land to make space for steel plants or other industries. The killing of 12 tribals in police firing recently has steeled their resolve to fight against displacement and loss of livelihoods.

"They have killed our men for setting up a steel plant. We are now ready to die, but we will not part with our land and homes," Upin Jamuda (65), a resident of Chandia, said on Tuesday. This is the common reaction of the tribal men and women in this upcoming steel township.

Mr. Jamuda's elder son, Ati Jamuda, was killed in the January 2 firing, leaving behind his wife and three children, the youngest being a three-month-old girl. His younger son had died of malaria nearly two years ago leaving behind his wife and a two-year-old daughter.

Mr. Jamuda and his wife, Lidun Jamuda, now need to look after the two daughters-in-law and four children. The family has ownership proof for the homestead land, but has no land for cultivation.

The number of tribals having proof of their land is very small in the region. A vast majority in Chandia and nearby villages could be termed as encroachers of government land as they do not posses land of their own. They lack land rights, as there has been no land settlement in the locality since 1928. The landless tribals are equally involved in the agitation against industrialisation as they have little hope of getting compensation for their eviction.

Highway blocked

Two km away from Chandia, activists of Visthapan Virodhi Janmanch, an organisation of local tribals, are blocking the Daitari-Paradip express highway at Gobarghati since the day of the firing.

"The authorities have never taken our demand of adequate compensation and rehabilitation seriously, while many rich people and outsiders have managed to acquire land rights in recent years. Over 80 per cent of the tribals in the area are landless," said Chakradhar Haiburu, president of the Janmanch. "Through our agitation, we will now take up the plight of the tribals displaced in the past across the State and prevent setting up of new industries in tribal pockets."

The tribals are angry because Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is yet to visit the area after the firing incident.

A team of five of his Ministers came to the area two days after the incident, but went back holding discussions with the district authorities at the local police station.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi is likely to visit the area on Wednesday. She will meet the agitating tribals and family members of those killed in the firing.

The effect of the firing seems to be spreading to other parts of the State.

Hundreds of tribals blocked the entry points to Rourkela city on Tuesday demanding that the Rourkela Steel Plant return its surplus land which it had taken from them about 50 years ago.

The tribals who started an indefinite economic blockade of the township set at least six vehicles afire on the outskirts of the city.

The blockade has affected normal life in the area.

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