Medha Patkar takes up SEZ issue

The blitz against global corporations and acquisition of farmers' land for special economic zones (SEZs) reached Maharashtra's doorsteps with Medha Patkar urging people to take to the streets and oppose "forceful procurement of land".

The Narmada Bachao Andolan leader, who met Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Co-operation Minister Patangrao Kadam on Tuesday night, said a public awareness campaign would be launched to take on the government on various issues, including opposing the land acquisition process in Maharashtra.

Patkar was addressing a meeting organised by the 'Jagtikikaran Virodhi Kruti Samiti' (Action Committee Against Globalisation), here.

Accusing the government of adopting capitalist standards, Patkar said that its policy of favouring capitalists and foreign companies in allowing access to land and natural resources in the name of industrialisation would result in an environmental imbalance and cause greater distress to farmers.

She said, she was against the policy of the state government to acquire 10,000 acres land for the cargo hub here because it would displace many people.

"The acquisition of 40,000 acres of land by Reliance in Jamnagar district of Gujarat, that by Posco in Orissa, and other acquisitions in Raigad, Pen and Thane in Maharashtra are unjust," said Patkar.

She said the scheme of awarding land to tribals was not implemented until now and expressed fear that such forcible acquisitions would lead to a pre-independence situation of 'Zamindari'.

Patkar said that benefits of economic progress and industrialisation were not reaching the rural masses and the poor.

The conference resolved to bring anti-SEZ organisations under a single umbrella and intensify its struggle within a fortnight.

The conference also resolved to oppose contract farming, anti-farmer policies and scrapping of the Urban Land Ceiling Act (ULCA).

Convenor of the Action Committee, Sanjeev Sane, after meeting Deshmukh and Kadam, said the chief minister had assured withdrawal of land acquisition notices issued under Section 4 (A) for special economic zone in Raigad district.

Deshmukh made it clear that land would not be acquired without farmers' consent, Sane revealed.

He said Deshmukh was firm that Maharashtra did not want farmers to face losses. The chief minister also assured the delegation that the government would not be involved in the process of land acquisition for the SEZ.

Regarding the proposal of scrapping Urban Land Ceiling Act, Deshmukh said that the cabinet had not taken any decision on the issue till date.