Letters: Even-handed ordinance

This refers to the editorial "A mark of urgency" (December 31). Given the years of inaction under the previous dispensation, the ordinance on land acquisition was the need of the hour. Even the earlier Act on land acquisition passed by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government at the fag end of its term was politically motivated and favoured one section, leaving industrial development to the mercy of land-owners. It is clear that the Opposition will oppose the current ordinance whenever it comes to Parliament for discussion. So what is the remedy? The Bharatiya Janata Party government has to expedite the legislation - and rightly so - to fulfil its political obligation of development. The present government has to do some out-of-the-box thinking to prevent the Opposition from derailing a Bill that, on the face of it, does not appear to favour industry alone.

The editorial has noted very pertinently that projects could not be left waiting because of social impact assessments, and that the investment cycle demanded urgent attention. The need is to gel the two issues - the assessment and the investment cycle - so that, instead of being contradictory, they are complementary. Some have suggested that only a fifth of the market price be paid to farmers/land-owners in cash; for the balance, the owners be made partners in the project - either through employment in the projects or through long-term equity participation. And in case of land acquisition for a housing project or a township, houses could be given as compensation, which could also be a source of further income to the people deprived of their land. I am sure the Opposition would come around if discussions were held on these lines.

Naresh Saxena, New Delhi

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