PTI reported that, seeking enhanced compensation, jobs and other benefits, people displaced due to setting up of the Utkal Alumina Company in Orissa's Rayagada district have threatened to stall industrialization in the area if their demands were not fulfilled soon.

Mr Chitrasen Naik secretary of the committee of displaced and affected families said that "If main demands of displaced people, mostly tribal and Dalits are not met, we will stall industrialization and start farming in acquired agriculture land."

Demanding INR 1 million compensation for every acre of acquired agriculture land for the project, he said that though the displaced people in Kashipur block of the tribal dominated Rayagada district had been agitating for a long time, the issue remained unresolved. Similarly, INR 500,000 should be given for every acre of barren land and cases against displaced disposed of forthwith. Every displaced person in the project area should be provided with permanent employment.

Regretting the company's refusal to provide further assistance to project affected people, he said that affected families would not be able to benefit from the revised resettlement & rehabilitation policy of the Orissa government as the lands had been acquired much before it came into being.