Kakinada SEZ: Patkar threatens stir by NGOs

HYDERABAD: Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar has warned that voluntary organisations across the country will begin an agitation if illegal acquisition of land for the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Kakinada did not stop.

Inaugurating a five-day dharna camp against SEZs being organised by the National Alliance of People’s Movements, of which she is the national convener, here on Monday, Ms. Patkar said the Kakinada SEZ was just a beginning of the take over of the 972 km long coast of the State. A whole corporate lobby, including the petrochemical and petroleum industry led by the Ambanis, had set its sight on the corridor.

She said the proposal to sell to the industry 1,500 acres of cultivable land near Kakinada had forced the NGOs to take up the cause of evacuees, most of whom were from Scheduled Castes.

The corporates were shown undue and unconstitutional favours at the cost of land owners.
Plea to Governor

Ms. Patkar sought the intervention of Governor N.D. Tiwari in inclusion of 805 villages of nine districts in Schedule V.

She appealed to the Governor to invoke his constitutional powers to see that the demand which was pending for the last 28 years was met.
Movements weakened

Human rights activist K. Balagopal regretted that the people’s movements had weakened in the State as the supporters joined various political parties. The party led by film star Chiranjeevi was their latest craze.
Tata Motors

Talking to media persons on the Singur imbroglio later, Ms. Patkar said the Tata Motors was welcome to shift its Nano project out of West Bengal.

The protest against the project would continue wherever it was proposed to be set up in agricultural lands.

The project could come up in fallow lands as in the case of Hind Motors, she added.