The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Government flayed for misuse of land in SEZs

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Government flayed for misuse of land in SEZs

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: The Government continued to draw flak from the Opposition over its handling of Special Economic Zones and Coastal Corridor project when the issue came up in the Council on Tuesday.

After the recent fierce debate in the Assembly , the misuse of land given to SEZs and the exploitation of poor farmers, SCs, fishermen became the focus of short discussion on the subject.

Telugu Desam, CPI, CPI (M) members demanded that the Government should come out with details of investments made in Special Economic Zones by various companies and jobs created so far in return for thousands of acres of land allotted to them at nominal prices.

They also assailed the government for selling away valuable land to fill its coffers.

A. Revanth Reddy (TDP) said permission was given for 95 SEZs but a significant part of 96,000 acres of land was being misused for real estate. Government should have a monitoring cell to check misuse of lands and recover them under AP Land Revenue Act.

The lands acquired for pittance from farmers were given away to SEZ developers with all rights while farmers had been left with no stakes as in the case of farmers of Polepally.

J. Wilson (CPI) said due to the ‘hasty’ decision of Government on SEZs and Coastal Corridor, lakhs of farmers, and others were on the verge of losing their livelihood.

The coastal corridor would also adversely affect food grain yield from rice granary of the State.

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