Friday, August 24, 2012

WHO FEAR LOSING THEIR LAND AND LIVELIHOOD

RELIANCE’S SEZ PLANS AT RAIGAD ARE YET TO RECEIVE SUPPORT FROM THE FARMERS THERE, WHO FEAR LOSING THEIR LAND AND LIVELIHOOD. APPRARENTLY, THERE IS A SERIOUS CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE

In addition, various public meetings from the tehsil level to the central level have been held to help people understand the adverse impact of the SEZ. Anti-Reliance SEZ activists include several trade unions and 11 political parties. Also, several organisations including Jagtikikikaran Virodhi Kruti Samiti, Peasant Workers Party, et al have also vehemently opposed the project. By October 2006, nearly 14% of the total land was acquired and there has been no further extension since. Moreover, of the 50,000 families spread across 45 villages, notices were served to 28,000 families, who were owners of the land. The remaining land were owned by money lenders, agricultural labourers working on salt pans and traditional artisans dependent on agriculture. As part of the Reliance SEZ rules, only farmers, who have clear title of the land get compensation. Later, as many as 96% farmers rejected RIL’s SEZ proposal. Speaking to one of the villagers, B&E learnt that the land being acquired by RIL was one of the most fertile lands of the district. Of the 45 villages, 22 villages within the SEZ area come under the command area of Hetavane project.

One group had moved the High Court and Supreme Court against this acquisition process and the SEZ Act. The allegation is that RIL has been unable to fulfil promises with respect to its plants in Raigad. For instance, IPCL was taken over by Reliance 25 years back, but villagers there say they are still deprived of their jobs. As on date, RIL still awaits approval to bid for further land.

In fact, there are several dimensions for SEZs as far as the principle concept is based, which need to be taken into account. N. D. Patil, president, Jagatikikikaran Virodhi Kruti Samiti, points out, for instance, “Reliance had declared a 9,000-acre aerodrome project at Pune which is quite huge when compared to any international aerodrome project.” In fact, there is a proposal to scrap the SEZ act and post the Direct Tax Code implementation, the entire economic rationale behind SEZs has become questionable. The debate rages on...



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