Action 2007 delegation discuss SEZs policy with Mukherjee

New Delhi, Mar 31 (UNI) A delegation from Action 2007, a collective of people's organisations from across the country, including NBA leader Medha Patkar, today met Chairman of Empowered Group of Ministers on SEZ Pranab Mukherjee and highlighted the impacts of policy on people.

The delegation pointed out to the Minister that the state governments are using force of state machinery to subvert and violently suppress people's protests ''Despite repeated demands made by farmers and local people to stop forced acquisition....the state governments are using force of the state machinery to subvert and violently suppress people's protests which has resulted in merciless killings of poor people in places like Nandigram and Singur,'' an Action 2007 statement said.

Ms Patkar raised the issue of the SEZ in Nandigram, specifically focusing on the process of land acquisition and role of the state.

She submitted a report by an independent fact-finding team of eminent citizens on Nandigram and the recent police action there.

''What we have seen in both Maharashtra and West Bengal is that no gram sabha consultation took place before initiating land acqusition for SEZ projects,'' she said.

Mr Meher Engineer, academic from the Intellectual's Forum, said the incident in Nandigram has brought to the fore the growing angst against the democratic rights of the people being jeopardised.

UNI