The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : State, SEZ promoters cheating people: Yanamala

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Saturday, Oct 06, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

State, SEZ promoters cheating people: Yanamala

Correspondent

TDP is against forcible acquisition of land, says the party leader

Plan to file a cheating case
Rally and public meeting to be held organised October 15

Kakinada: “The KSEZ promoters and the State government have virtually cheated people by showing on record their fertile lands as non-agricultural lands while directly purchasing them.

The TDP is seriously contemplating filing a cheating case against the both,” said TDP Polit Bureau member and former finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu here on Friday.

Addressing a press conference along with Jyothula Nehru, district TDP president, he said the party was not against SEZ and industrialisation but opposed to indiscriminate and forcible acquisition of land, allowing the promoters to resort to real estate business.

“Now the SEZ promoters are offering the acquired land to industrial units at Rs.30 lakhs per acre as against Rs.3 lakhs paid to farmers. Thus they are gaining Rs.300 crores at a stretch.

We want the SEZ promoters to disburse at least 50 per cent of the revenue accrued on the lands to farmers,” he said.

Warns Government

Pointing out that 1,450 families spread over six villages in U. Kothapalli mandal were likely to be evacuated for the sake of SEZ, Mr. Ramakrishnudu warned that the party would fight tooth and nail against such move, enlisting the support of people of the region.

He said the TDP would organise a massive rally and a public meeting in U. Kothapalli mandal on October 15 against the injustice being meted out to people. TDP senior leader K. Yerrannaidu and other leaders would participate in it.

Assurance sought

Blaming the government and the SEZ promoters for keeping people in dark about the industrial units that were likely to come up in the SEZ and the employment avenues, the TDP leader wanted a categorical assurance from the government on proper utilisation of the land and the relief and rehabilitation package.

He said adequate steps should be taken to protect the environment from the possible industrial pollution, before setting up industrial units in the Special Economic Zone.

Making it clear that the TDP would not tolerate any injustice to the fishermen of the area, he said fish wealth would be destroyed if pollution was not controlled, depriving the fishermen of their livelihood.

YSR criticised

The former minister criticised Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy for making a series of assurances without the required financial resources such as Rs.2 a kilo rice and wanted a categorical assurance on funding from the Centre.

It was not possible to fulfil the promises, the TDP leader pointed out.

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