House panel on SEZs meets Maharashtra farmers

"The impression among farmers whose land is going to be acquired for Reliance Industries promoted Mahamumbai SEZ is that the state machinery is hand in glove with the SEZ's promoters," observed Kashiram Rana, convener of the seven-member parliamentary sub-committee on SEZs.

"However, this is not our opinion and whatever we will have to say, we will say in the report to be submitted to Parliament during the coming Budget session," Rana clarified.

The sub-committee, which is part of Parliament's standing committee for the commerce ministry, today visited Mumbai and heard representatives of farmers, NGOs and social activists from areas where land is being acquired for SEZs, including the farmers from 45 villages in Pen, Khalapur and Uran talukas of Raigad district where more than 10,000 hectares land is being acquired for the Mahamumbai SEZ.

Rana's remarks assume significance in the backdrop of stiff resistance by the farmers against acquisition of their lands, reports in Marathi newspapers that the local government machinery is being subverted to serve Reliance's interests and the criticism that the state government is facing over ignoring Board of Approval's (BoA) advice to reduce the size of Mahamumbai SEZ.

Earlier in the afternoon, a scuffle broke out among the farmers and police at MIDC's headquarters, where the sub-committee was giving a hearing to the farmers.

All the farmers wanted to attend the hearing, but the cops were insisting that only their representatives would be allowed in. A windowpane of the building got broken in the scuffle and one security guard received minor injuries. The police took five persons in preventive custody.

"The committee will visit some of the villages where land is being acquired," said Rana. However, he refused to make any comments on the state government's decision to ignore the advice given by the BoA to reduce the size of Mahamumbai SEZ. He said he was not aware about any such advice given by the BoA.

Speaking to reporters, former MLA and leader of Mahamumbai SEZ Farmers' Action Committee Dutta Patil said, "What the state is offering us is peanuts compared to the prevailing land rates in the area. We should get a better package".

He further said, "The state government should not deal with individual farmers and all farmers from one village should be treated as one block to ensure that they enjoy collective bargaining power".