Opposition stages walkout in Mah council over SEZ

Nagpur, Dec 7 (UNI) Opposition members staged a walkout in the Maharashtra Legislative Council today protesting what they termed the hurry being shown by the government in acquiring land for the proposed Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the state.

The walkout came at the end of a heated debate on the issue vide Rule 97 during which the opposition charged the government with favouring big industrial houses.

The assurance by Minister for Industry Ashok Chavan that the government would ensure that there was no injustice to anyone while acquiring land for the SEZs and that the development would have a human face failed to satisfy the opposition members, who left the House raising slogans.

Mr Chavan said the SEZs would benefit everybody as these would generate employment. Technical institutes and polytechnics would be opened in these areas to impart technical education to the youth, he said.

The minister said there was no question of rehabilitating the persons whose land was acquired for the SEZs because the government was not acquiring land in the villages.

Earlier, the opposition lambasted the government for what it termed as the absence of a clear policy on SEZs.

Jayant Patil (PWP) alleged that the government was favouring big industrial houses like Reliance Industries in the process for setting up SEZs.

Pasha Patel (BJP) alleged that Reliance Industries wanted almost 75 per cent of the land that was being acquired to set up its own SEZs.

Cutting across party lines, several members, incluing S. Q. Zama (Congress), Usha Darade (NCP), Madhukar Sarpotdar (Shiv Sena), Sanjay Kelkar, Madhukar Chavan (both BJP) and Jogendra Kawade (PRP) said the SEZs would have swanky shopping malls and multiplex theatres, which would not benefit the villagers in any way. The SEZs would be useless for the common man, they alleged.

Mr Chavan told the House that six SEZs were proposed to be set up in Vidarbha, 8 in Marathwada and 33 in Konkan.

Deputy Chairman Vasant Davkhare, who was in the chair at the time, said the government must chalk out a definite policy in this regard and discuss the issue in detail with the Centre.

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