In Odisha, land acquisition for the 52,000 crore rupees Posco steel plant began today in Gobindpur area of Jagatsinghpur district after a gap of more than one year amid protests by anti-project activists.The district administration started acquiring betel-vines.

Our Bhubaneswar correspondent reports that leaders of Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS), agitating against the project since 2005, alleged that about six people, including women were injured in lathicharge by police, PPSS leader Abhay Sahu also alleged that about seven persons were taken by police to some unknown place, but police denied having detained anyone.

Member of Parliament from Jagatsinghpur, Bibhu Prasad Tarai, also sat on a dharna against withdrawal of police from the area.

Many other opposition political parties have also condemned the police action.

The fresh operation aims at acquiring an additional 700 acres of land required for the mega project by the South Korean steel giant Posco.

The administration had earlier taken into possession 2,000 acres.

Land acquisition work had been halted more than a year ago following violence during construction of a coastal road near the proposed project site.