Land acquisition for SIPCOT Industrial Estate dropped

Chennai, May 2 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu Government today decided to drop the land acquisition process for the proposed SPICOT Industrial Estate to be set up in Madurai in the greater interest of farmers.

An official release here said this followed representation from farmers who urged the government to stop acquiring lands as they were dependent on them for livelihood.

The government had given the administrative sanction for the project to come up in Valayankulam, Eliyarpathi, Nalloor and Solankurani Villages, on July two last year.

The move followed a report received from the Madurai District Collector which said farmers were raising food crops, pulses, vegetables and flowers on the land being acquired.

Moreover, there were 90 irrigation wells were in use in these areas and a majority of the landowners were poor, small and marginal farmers belonging to the backward and most backward classes and Adi-dravidar community who were eking out a living through the meagre income earned from these lands.

''Considering the welfare of the farmers and being committed to the ensuring farmers should not be affected at any cost while acquiring lands and respecting the sentiments of the farmers, the government decided to reconsider the project and stop the land acquisition process,'' the release added.

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