The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : SEZ proposal draws flak from people

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Saturday, Jan 12, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

SEZ proposal draws flak from people

Staff Reporter

Bid to prevent officials from demarcating boundaries

Villagers claim there is stay on the project
Protestors submit memorandum

Kakinada: The Special Economic Zone (SEZ) proposed to be set up in this port town, has drawn the flak from residents of Srirampuram village in Kakinada rural mandal on Friday. Officials of the SEZ, who went to demarcate its boundaries, were stopped by some anti-SEZ activists and villagers, who contended that there was a High Court stay on the project.

As the officials did not heed their warnings, the protestors tried to physically prevent them from doing their work but the police desisted them from taking the law into their hands. The villagers then entered into arguments with the police, who promptly asked them to represent their case to the district officials concerned and not vitiate peaceful atmosphere. The officials have then resumed their work amid police presence while the protestors left the place to submit a memorandum to the MRO.

Farmers of the Kakinada rural mandal have been demanding that their lands under Pithapuram branch canal should not be acquired for the port-based SEZ. The SEZ itself is sought to be located elsewhere to make enough land available for the port to expand in future.

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Andhra Pradesh