Land for SEZs could be 'misused' by real estate agents: Panel

A group of former IAS officers and academicians on Thursday expressed fears that the large tracts of land being acquired by the Tamil Nadu government for setting up various special economic zones could be 'misused' by real estate agents and result in loss of farmers' livelihood.

Releasing a report of public hearings conducted in various SEZ areas in the state, a member of the group, Professor Shanmugam Velayutham of the Chennai-based Loyola College, said land for the purpose of SEZ was 'being acquired from farmers' and handed over to big business houses, at the 'expense of the former's livelihood.'

"The Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation and State Industrial Development Corporation acquire land from farmers and hand them over to big business houses for the purpose of SEZ," he said.

There was a danger of some real estate mafia exploiting the situation to secure some land for their business. He said acquisition of land was being done against the will and wish of people as they were not consulted before the process.

'Unlike in states such as Goa,Tamil Nadu government is not holding consultations at the local level such as the Gram Sabha but it has been claiming that there has been no dissent from people,' he said, citing the report.

Velayutham also demanded a 'white paper' on the foreign investors who had been given land for SEZ projects in the state. Louis Menezes, a former Union Secretary, alleged that land donated under the Bhoodan movement at Oragadam, originally allotted to landless Dalits, was also being acquired for the SEZ coming up in Chennai.

According to the report, many farmers had testified that fertile land and even water bodies had not been spared by the acquisition process, 'which is contrary to the state's Industrial Policy 2007 where it was mentioned that it would not acquire fertile land.'

"The state government claims generation of jobs (through SEZs) but does not mention anything about loss of livelihood," Gabriele Dietrich, Professor, Centre for Social Analysis, Theological Seminary, Madurai, and another group member said.

"Such mindless acquisition is pushing people to the brink of destitution," she added. Among others,the members have sought repeal of the SEZ Act 2005, as it had "little public debate," and suspension of the SEZ related activities in the state.

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