HAL displaced sow seeds of protest

KORAPUT: Land losers, agitating against Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), sowed niger seeds on 50 acre of ploughed land on the company's campus at Sunabeda in the district on Friday, the fifth day of their agitation.
Since Monday, hundreds of land losers of a dozen villagers are on a dharna on the HAL precincts, demanding adequate compensation and jobs in the company.The navratna PSU was established in mid- 60s.
As a mark of protest, the villagers under the banner of HAL Displaced Persons' Association had ploughed the 50 acre of unutilized land on HAL premises on Monday.
"For the past several years we are placing our demands before the authorities, but to no avail. We have decided not to call off our agitation till our demands are fulfilled," said president of the association Trilochan Muduli. "We have sowed around one quintal of niger seeds on the ploughed land. The ploughed land will be under our control till our demands are met," he added.
Police said adequate security has been arranged on the site to avoid any untoward incident and talks are on with the agitators to break the deadlock.
"A patch of land has been identified for rehabilitation of the land losers. They will be provided pucca houses," project director of district rural development agency (Koraput) Samarth Verma had told TOI ealier.