Citizens’ Research Collective on SEZ

Sandeep Bhushan

Jhajjar, February 9, 2008: Just days after the Union government approved the 5000 acres Reliance SEZ in Haryana’s Jhajjar district, discontent against the SEZ is mounting. A mahapanchayat of nearly 23 affected villages is scheduled for later this month.

Farmers have moved the Supreme Court against what they allege is the forcible acquisition of their land by the government at dirt-cheap rates.

”Nothing is left for us, we are jobless. Wat have we got? We have been uprooted,” said Munshiram, Sarpanch, Pelpa village.

Most Dalits in Jhajjar district of Haryana have traditionally worked in the fields of the prosperous Jats. Now, the Jats have sold their land to Reliance.

”We used to milk their cows, work in their fields and run errands for them,” said Munshiram, Sarpanch, Pelpa village.

Even the Jats are upset, a meeting or mahapanchayat of the 23 affected villages is being called. The land is fertile and produces several crops round the year. Farmers have said that the compensation is simply not enough.

”Land closer to Delhi is fetching Rs 2 crores. We have only got Rs 22 Lakhs per acre,” said Harvansh, farmer.

The fertile fields could well be a state-of-the art cargo airport run by Reliance or even a power plant.

But it is not only the fields, close to 500 brick kilns, part of the proposed SEZ, which provides livelihood to locals will also have to shut, leaving farmers with little option.

Across the country, 194 SEZ have been notified which will gobble up about 54,000 acres of farmland and displace lakhs of farmers.

A rehabilitation policy that promises to be more farmer friendly awaits parliamentary approval.

But this may not be enough since most of the displaced are illiterate and unskilled with little or no chances of finding other jobs.

Source: NDTV.com