National

Farmers against land for MSEZ

MUMBAI: About 95 per cent of farmers from 22 villages in Raigad district have voted against giving up their land for the Reliance Group-promoted Mumbai Special Economic Zone , according to a report of the referendum held on September 21 compiled by activist groups and farmers.

While the government is yet to submit its final report, the Committee against Globalisation and the Committee against MSEZ from 24 villages released their report on Monday.

Farmers submitted 6,199 forms on September 21. They were asked to give their opinion on whether they wanted to give up their land for the MSEZ or not. These 22 villages in Pen taluka fall under the command area of the Hetawane dam, and villagers were resisting the acquisition.

Ms. Ulka Mahajan of the Committee against Globalisation told The Hindu that of the 6,199 forms, 5,866 were against the MSEZ. “That’s a clear 95 per cent,” she said. Ms. Mahajan said each form had the opinion of more than one person as they were joint holders for each piece of land. There were a total of 29,000 land title holders in the 22 villages who were served land acquisition notices, she said.

Of the 29,000, a total of 5,268 could not vote since their names appeared on the records but they were not title holders.

Of the remaining 23,000 title holders eligible to vote, 19,000 voted against acquisition of their land for the MSEZ, she said.

She also explained that from among those who voted against the MSEZ, only 9 per cent had sold some portions of their land to Reliance. The company had claimed that 50 per cent had sold their land to the MSEZ and there was no real opposition to the project.

N. D. Patil, senior Peasants and Workers Party leader, tsaid that government should now withdraw the notices under Section 4 and 6 of the Land Acquisition Act and return the land to the farmers. “

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