Paradeep: In the Dhinkia–Charidesh area under Paradeep, there were no industries earlier. Locals used to earn their livelihood with great difficulty through fishing, farming, and other means. In 2005, POSCO came, but it left in 2017. People of Dhinkia–Charidesh region are now giving overwhelming support to the establishment of JSW Utkal Steel in a hope of getting jobs and earnings, said local leaders.
“If an industry is set up here, people will get jobs and also receive compensation. Once the company is established, our children will get employment and our region will witness rapid development,” said a panchayat leader.
While many intellectuals and leaders cutting across party lines have been supporting the establishment of JSW Utkal Steel, the Congress leaders led by OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das on Thursday staged a protest against the establishment of the company. However, this was opposed by the intellectuals of the local area.
Former Sarpanch of Dhinkia Panchayat Shishir Kumar Mohapatra said all the companies that have come to Paradeep have provided employment to local people after setting up industries. However, even before starting the project, JSW Utkal Steel has already provided employment to 150 people from the Dhinkia–Charidesh area. The process has also started to provide jobs to technically qualified local youth, he added.
Even before the factory is established, the company has been carrying out various people-oriented activities through its CSR funds in the Dhinkia–Charidesh area, including work in education, healthcare, transportation, women empowerment, and making farmers self-reliant. Shri Mohapatra stated that once JSW is established, the region will experience rapid progress.
Intellectual Dr. Tamil Pradhan from Nuagaon said that JSW Utkal Steel has started activities covering three Panchayats—Nuagaon, Dhinkia, and Gadakujanga. In 2005, when the Congress government was in power, POSCO came here, and Congress leaders did not oppose POSCO at that time. Those who say that people from Odisha are migrating outside the state as migrant laborers are the same people who are opposing industrial establishment. This is the biggest irony.
Dr. Pradhan questioned why a good company is being opposed now. When contacted, the company authorities stated that around 150 local people are currently engaged in contractual work, and more than 500 people from the three panchayats have been employed as supervisors, office assistants, and in other positions according to their qualifications.