Opposing SEZs my topmost priority: Patkar

Pune, Oct 6 (UNI) The formulation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) is just a ''daylight dacoity and the greatest scam,'' alleged Narmada Bachao Aandolan (NBA) activist Medha Patkar after launching a sustained campaign demanding the cancellation of the SEZs at the district collectorate here today.

Ms Patkar, in a memorandum to the District Collector, said the SEZs must be cancelled as it would ruin fertile soil of the farmers merely for the vested interests of industrialists and builders.

Addressing a 'morcha' of farmers, small scale industrialists, workers and women's self-help groups, Ms Patkar said ''This is a 'Mahabharata' against the SEZs and everybody should oppose it to save the country.'' The SEZs are nothing but a conspiracy to grab land by builders, industrialists and politicians. They are assisted by bureaucrats, who see lucrative openings for themselves,'' she alleged.

Ms Patkar asked the Left parties and the like-minded political groups to come together to fight the SEZs for which nearly 21 laws and the Constitution have been amended. ''The correct information about the SEZs has not been given,'' she claimed.

''Once lands are acquired, how are they going to provide jobs to farmers or their families when they are not literate,'' Ms Patkar asked.

''This is going to displace farmers, fishermen and destroy their families,'' she said, adding that companies like Reliance and builders like Hiranandanis are the players who would not be able to provide jobs for the farmers or their families.

''Narmada issue is localised but the SEZs will affect rural farmers countrywide and protesting it, is going to be topmost on my agenda,'' she said.

A sustained agitation at different places will be staged in phases against the SEZs, she added.

In Maharashtra, of the 33 SEZs, 12 are in Pune in four zones -- Karla (3000 hectares) which has been given to Mahindra and Mahindra, Rajguru Nagar (7,500 hectares) to Bharat Forge, Raigarh (14,000 hectares) to Reliance and Mann (1100 acres) being developed for the IT sector.

National Hawkers Union president Sandip Yevle told UNI the SEZs would have a snowballing effect on hawkers and their future countrywide. Nearly seven-and-a-half-crore hawkers, who are dependent on farm produce for the livelihood, would be affected.

In Maharashtra, around four-and-a-half lakh farmers would be without a livelihood and nearly 50 per cent of them would be badly-affected.

''We will have no future as we do not expect the companies to give us jobs,'' he added.

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