The Hindu : Karnataka News : People of Yekkaru say ‘no’ to SEZ

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 29, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

People of Yekkaru say ‘no’ to SEZ

Special Correspondent

Instead, they seek SEZ for agriculture

SEZ likely to deprive the district of foodgrains
Future of over 5 lakh people in jeopardy

YEKKARU THENKA (MANGALORE TALUK): About 3000 agricultural families in this village have delivered their final verdict on giving away their agricultural lands for the Mangalore Special Economic Zone. In a special “grama sabha” convened by the Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kananda, M. Maheshwara Rao, their representatives have said that none of them would give their lands for SEZ.

The special grama sabha which attracted the attention of Non Government Organisations, media, representatives from the industry and various socio-economic and religious organisations, has rejected the proposal of the Government to set up the MSEZ in Yekkaru Thenka village. Some farmers compared their lands to their mother, and some went to the extent of saying that the land might have to be acquired over their dead bodies.

When they cooled down, grama panchayat president Sudhip Amin said that the Panchayat, in its extraordinary meeting held on July 20, had resolved that they would not give permission to any construction activities related to the MSEZ nor to convert or acquire lands belonging to their village, particularly the agricultural land.

One of the land owners, Hemalatha, said with the acquisition of over 4000 acres of land in the rich agricultural taluk, the local foodgrain production would come down drastically and thousands of tonnes of fruits and vegetables would be lost for not just the people of the village but to the city of Mangalore. This would put the food security of over 5 lakh people in jeopardy. Denying that there was unemployment in Dakshina Kannada district she said the villagers had not sought employment in SEZ but were happy with their agriculture and business.

Taluk panchayat member Suresh Shetty said the Government was not justified in taking away the farmlands and making them work as employees of a company of which they did not know anything.

He said every farmer was self-sufficient and produced food for others. Lawrence D’Souza, farmer, said the village would extend wholehearted support if the Government wanted to have Special Economic Zone for agriculture in Mangalore instead of the multi-purpose MSEZ.

Mr. Maheshwara Rao said the land acquisition would be done as per the Land Acquisition Act of the Government of India which included a reasonable price for the land and house on a pro rata basis, Rs. 1,200 per areca tree and Rs. 6,000 per coconut tree. The rate could be fixed either on general award or the consent award whichever was better for the farmers.

Mr. Rao said the MSEZ would help create employment to the youth of the region. However, the villagers were unrelenting and asked the Deputy Commissioner to recommend to the Government to drop the idea of setting up the MSEZ.

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