The eastern Indian state of Orissa has temporarily halted plans to acquire land for a South Korean steel plant after protest by locals.

The South Korean steel giant POSCO wants to build a $12 billion facility on some 1,250 hectares of tribal land.

A local official says the land acquisition process for POSCO has been temporarily halted pending further instructions from the government.

Thousands of villagers have protested against the project, with women and children recently forming a human barricade around areas earmarked for demolition.

POSCO's planned facility in India is one of several high profile projects delayed by protests. Steelmaker ArcelorMittal has faced similar challenges in acquiring land for a proposed plant.