Citizens’ Research Collective on SEZ

Anantapur, May 11, 2008: There was no greater farce than the snatching of assignment lands from the poor by the Government in the name of setting up Special Economic Zones (SEZs), speakers at a meeting against the formation of SEZs said here on Saturday. Snatching livelihood from the poor was also against all kinds of natural justice.

Speaking at a meeting organised by CPI (ML) Liberation here opposing the creation SEZs by snatching lands from the farmers, State general secretary of Human Rights Forum K. Balagopal said the State and Central Governments were forcibly reclaiming the lands once given by them to the poor as part of land distribution to the poor. The lands were given to the downtrodden and other landless poor not only as a source of livelihood but also as a social status to bring about equality in the society, he reminded. But the Governments were bent upon snatching such lands without even awarding appropriate compensation to the assignees with the help of the provision in the act which facilitates the Government to reclaim the assigned lands for the larger public interests at any time in future after assigning them to the poor. As such provisions were not enough the Government had brought SEZ Act to take over the lands of all farmers without any scope for legal objections.

The poor who were living with some social status by owning the assigned lands were now left in the lurch, unfortunately, as neither they were being given alternative lands nor compensation, he said. The Lepakshi City SEZ coming up in Chilamattur mandal in the district was also swallowing a large extent of assigned lands and that of other farmers too without their willingness and with paltry compensation that would not help them in any way.

Compensation was assured even to the assigned lands identified under Chilamattur SEZ but it was not forthcoming the assignees way now, he said. He demanded the State and Central Governments to scrap the SEZ Act and not to snatch the assigned and other lands from the poor farmers. By snatching the lands the Government would be denying the right to live in the absence of livelihood and harming the social status of the poor, he said.

The SEZs would be like the small townships developed in countries like US and UK where the government would provide all facilities to corporate, commercial and industrial needs. No labour laws were applicable in such townships and the employees would be exploited to the core, he stated and expressed fear that same could be replicated in the country.

State secretary of CPI (ML) Liberation N. Murthy, district secretary K.V. Siva Reddy, district convenor of AIPWA Gayathri Devi, district secretary of HRF S.M. Basha and other also spoke at the meeting attended by the poor who were losing their assigned lands in the Chilamattur SEZ.

Mr. Balagopal stressed the need to continue agitations and movements against the SEZs.

Source: The Hindu