NCP slams land mess in Pondy

Puducherry, Mar 9 (UNI) Expressing concern over the diminishing area of agricultural land in the Union Territory, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today sought an explanation from the territorial administration.

Addressing a press conference here, the party's state president G Sunderamurthy pointed out the move to acquire 700 acre of land in Karaikal for an airport, 800 acre for a special economic zone at Saidarapet here, 900 acre for setting up of a satellite town and hundreds of acre for the port development project.

He said if the present trend continues, the people of Puducherry would have to depend on other states for food.

If the government went ahead with the projects, the NCP would organise agitations by mobilising the farmers here, he warned.

He said a letter seeking the intervention of Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, with a copy to Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, had been sent to safeguard the fertile lands here.

Alleging that people from outside Puducherry were puchasing land for real estate business, Mr Sundaramurty urged the administration to enact a legislation to regulate the purchase of land by outsiders.

He also urged the administration to fill up the posts of three nominated members to the territorial Assembly with women, allocating one to a Dalit woman.

UNI