Peeved over clandestine approach of Odisha Power Generation Corporation (OPGC) officials to acquire land in Tilia village for expansion of Units III and IV (2 X 660 MW) of Thermal Power Station, the villagers convened a meeting on Sunday and vowed not to part with their land for the purpose. The aggrieved villagers aired their problems at the Grievance Cell of Jharsuguda Collector and submitted a memorandum demanding cancellation of land acquisition in the village. The move comes after the villagers had demanded transfer of Chief of Infrastructure Project, OPGC, PK Patra who was handling the land acquisition process. Even as the Union Coal Ministry pulled up OPGC for tardy progress of development work in Manoharpur coal blocks in Sundargarh district, the Corporation continues to antagonise the villagers. It was with great difficulty that Jharsuguda ADM Bhusan Behera had brought the villagers to the negotiating table after they had driven out OPGC officials thrice and refused to accept the notice under Land Acquisition Act. Sources said Patra called villagers having land holding but are residing elsewhere and paid them for their land. It incensed the villagers who have vowed not to part with even an inch of their land. The bhumi puja for expansion Units 3 and 4 (2 X 660 MW) of IB Thermal Power Station was done in August, 2004, but even after nine years, the officials have failed to make any headway. While the villagers are demanding compensation of Rs 17 lakh per acre as paid by NTPC in Darlipali village in neighbouring Sundargarh district, OPGC is offering Rs 7 lakh besides annuity scheme under which those parting with land will be paid Rs 15,000 per annum per acre up to 30 years to a maximum of ` 1.50 lakh. Convenor of OPGC Bistapan Surakhya Manch Yangya Narayan Pradhan said the villagers will not tolerate the attempt to acquire land clandestinely. “OPGC is provoking the villagers to take to streets,” he added. Similar problem has also cropped up in Manoharpur where the villagers are demanding ` 30 lakh per acre against Rs 15 lakh offered by OPGC resulting in OPGC failing to move ahead in pre-mining activity in the coal blocks. Although Patra managed to acquire land by luring some landowners, further acquisition has come to a grinding halt.