Citizens’ Research Collective on SEZ

Anantapur, January 31, 2008: The Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and industrial estates were throwing the lives of farmers who were losing out their lands for the purpose on to the roads within a short period after they were alienated with land, ‘Padmashri’ awardee and a campaigner against SEZs Anil Praksh Joshi of Uttaranchal said here on Wednesday.

Leading a 11-member team of bicycle ‘jatha’ from Kanyakumari to Delhi Dr. Joshi and others of the team are creating awareness among farmers to fight against the SEZs by meeting them en route. They have launched their ‘jatha’ at Kanyakumari on January 12 and it will conclude at Delhi on March 11.

Poor compensation
They have taken up the ‘jatha’ to shed light on the pathetic condition of the farmers whose lands were taken for SEZs in the country. Speaking on the arrival of ‘jatha’ here Dr. Joshi said the compensation being given by the government or SEZ companies was providing only temporary relief to the farmers as it is a pittance.

He felt that loss of lands to expansion of roads, SEZs and industrial estates was likely to create food shortage in the country.

It was time a proper thinking was given on reserving 50 per cent of the land for agriculture sector in the country, he suggested.

Shareholders
Besides, the farmers who were losing lands to the SEZs should be made shareholders in the companies concerned, he said. Soon there would be a time when the country would have to depend on other countries for food grain, if sufficient land is not kept aside for agriculture, in future, Dr. Joshi warned.

He suggested the farmers to take the path of agitation against forcible alienation of lands for SEZs. The bicycle ‘jatha’ has a few women members and is aptly named as ‘kisan kisani krishi yatra’.

Source: The Hindu