Citizens’ Research Collective on SEZ

Mangalore, November 28, 2007: It proved to be a long-drawn-out wait for members of the Krishi Bhoomi Samrakshana Samiti outside the gates of the Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Wednesday. While the members wanted Deputy Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao to come and accept their memorandum urging him to postpone the environmental public hearing on the proposed Mangalore Special Economic Zone, the official was nowhere to be found.

Following a move by Mr. Rao to abruptly end the environmental public hearing in compliance with environment impact assessment notification earlier in the day, the samiti decided to go to his office and submit the memorandum. However, they were stopped by the police at the gates itself and not allowed to proceed inside. The protesters staged an impromptu dharna and demanded that Mr. Rao come and accept their memorandum.

The protesters, who held placards denouncing the SEZ, shouted slogans against Mr. Rao and the officials of the Mangalore SEZ. They were particular that Mr. Rao come to receive their memorandum. Efforts by police officials at the Deputy Commissioner’s office to contact Mr. Rao proved futile. Leaders of the samiti, in the meanwhile, addressed the people on dharna and expressed their opposition to the SEZ project.

As the evening wore on the , protesters grew restive at the indifference of the officials who failed to receive the memorandum despite their repeated requests. Samiti leaders, including Sunny D’Souza, said those on dharna would not leave the place until the officials accepted their memorandum. Some of the protesters even suggested that they set up camp outside the gates indefinitely until the officials met their demand.

A few leaders of the samiti approached headquarters assistant to the Deputy Commissioner S.A. Prabhakar Sharma and asked him to address the protesters and accept the memorandum. However, Mr. Sharma reportedly refused on ground that he was not the competent authority to do so. Mr. Sharma, however, said he would accept a memorandum in his chamber or even outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office, but would not come to the gates.

Finally, after hectic parleys between samiti leaders and Mr. Sharma, a group of 20 women led by Madhukar Amin, president of the samiti, went to his office and submitted their memorandum. Mr. Sharma at one point said he was willing to meet all protesters in his office. But police officers refused to grant permission and said they would allow only a representative delegation to go inside. The protesters later dispersed.

The failure of Mr. Rao to come and accept the memorandum did not go down well with the protesters. Lawrence D’Cunha, secretary of the samiti, alleged that Mr. Rao was indifferent to the plight of the people. “The least he could have done was accept the memorandum,” he said. Suresh Shetty of Parisarasakta Okkoota said the officials should not bother about protocol and their convenience when it comes to dealing with people.

Source: The Hindu