Tension prevailed in Gobindpur area of Jagatsinghpur district of Orissa on Sunday morning as the administration started land acquisition work for the proposed Rs. 52 thousand crore steel project by south Korean Company POSCO.

People opposing the project did not allow the administration to fell tree and betel vines for which police had to use minor force. Three persons were injured in the police action.

However, the administration continued land acquisition and handed over compensation amount to the affected farmers willing to give their land further project.

At least 12 platoons of police have been deployed in the area. Senior police and district administration officers are present in the project area to oversee the land acquisition process.

The administration started the land acquisition after a break of about one and half year because of large scale protests against the project by the local people.