GPS comes a cropper, fresh measurement ordered

PARADIP: The Posco saga has hit another hump. The Global Positioning System (GPS) used for assessing encroachment of land and studying the detailed land feasibility and boundary site at the Posco area has been found faulty. The district administration has directed the revenue officials to redo the boundary measurement of the proposed plant.Reports said a beneficiary, Nakula Das of Polang village under Gadakujang panchayat was paid ` 60 lakh for his three acres measured within the Posco project area, However, the GPS found it to be outside the proposed area.  Das had sought intervention of the district administration and to redo the boundaries with tape.Meanwhile, Collector Narayan Chandra Jena directed revenue officials to reassess the boundary site and found mistakes in earlier measurement through GPS.Last year, four teams comprising personnel of forest, horticulture and revenue departments, IDCO officials and GPS experts had measured the area of betel vines, prawn ponds, trees and other immovable properties through GPS.The team had measured betel vines from ‘fence-to-fence’ instead of the traditional ‘stay-to-stay’ method amidst protests from both pro and anti-Posco outfits.Gadakujang Sarpanch Nakula Sahu said nearly 100 betel vine owners of Noliasahi and Polang in Gadakujang and Nuagaon panchayats have been deprived of the benefits due to the faulty measurement system.Special Land Acquisition Officer Nrusingh Swain admitted to the mistake in the measurement of private and said it has been rectified with tapes and the map.