SC to consider SEZ policy of state governments tomorrow

New Delhi, Sep 22 (UNI) The Supreme Court will hear tomorrow a batch of petitions for and against the large-scale acquisition of farmers' land by various state governments for setting up of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) by big industrial houses in the country.

A bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan shall consider the petitions filed by Kuldip Singh Bishnoi, expelled Congress MP from Haryana and son of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan Lal, Mumbai SEZ Limited, Reliance Haryana SEZ Limited, Reliance Power Limited, Reliance Venture Limited and Karnataka Kisan and Khet Majdoor Sangh and Karnataka Landless Farmers' Association and others.

Mr Bishnoi has alleged huge fraud by the Hooda government in the state during forcible acquisition of thousands of acres of fertile land belonging to farmers in the state while industrial houses like Reliance have come in appeal to the apex court against the various High Court orders interfering with the SEZ policy of the state governments as well as the Centre.

There have been violent protests by farmers across the country against forcible acquisition of their lands which is the only source of their livelihood. The Left Front government in West Bengal is facing stiff and violent resistance from farmers in Singur where the Nano car project of the Tatas is lying closed due to the agitation launched by Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee demanding return of 1000 acres of land to the farmers.

There have been similar protest in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Orissa and other states of the country.

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