For SEZ problems a solution in sight

Yeole fears that he,like many other farmers of the region,would fall prey to the vicious snare of private moneylenders and might end up losing his ancestral land.

The predicament of more than 2,000 farmers in eight villages of Maval and the village of Maan near Hinjewadi IT Park,can be understood as more than 1,500 hectare land has been notified by the state government for setting up a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) there.

While the SEZ of Mahindra & Mahindra,set to come up near Karla was scrapped due to violent protests by farmers,the fate of Hinjewadi Phase IV set to come up in the village of Maan is in a limbo due to similar protests by farmers.

Back in 2006,the government had notified around 1,140 hectare of land for the proposed SEZ in Karla,while in the late 1990s,the notifications were made for Hinjewadi Phase IV in the village of Maan for around 465 hectare. Violent protests both in Maan and Karla by farmers had made land acquisition impossible in both cases. While in 2010,Mahindra had exited the memorandum of understanding (MoU) citing the protest,Hinjewadi Phase IV is caught in a deadlock.

However,the 7/12 land records of farmers has the name of the MIDC mentioned on them which has made life difficult for the farmers. Other than not getting loans sanctioned,farmers also have lost the right to develop their land in terms of digging wells or making mekshift structures to house their produce.

The inability of farmers to get loans has led to a rise in activities of private moneylenders in the area. Prasad Bagawe,member of the National Alliance of People’s Movement (NAPM) stated that with co-operative credit societies and banks refusing loans,many farmers have fallen into the trap of moneylenders. “Due to high interest charged by them,farmers at times are unable to repay loans and moneylenders end up grabbing the land of farmers,” he said.

Ganpat Padawal,another farmer,whose seven acre land was part of the notified land,said the district co-operative bank refused him loan on multiple occasions. “I had to take a loan of Rs 1 lakh from private a moneylender and would have to repay almost Rs 1. 5 lakh in the next few months. I have no idea how will I be able to raise the amount,” he said.

Both Padwal and Bagawe said that while the government is yet to take any decision on repealing the notification,some influential people have managed to get the notification removed from their land. “We have heard they paid almost Rs 6 lakh to do so,” they said. Bagawe pointed out that while the current land rate in the area is Rs 2-3 crore per acre,the government rate is Rs 88 lakh. “This would mean a major financial loss for farmers,” he said.

Ajit Ralekar,regional officer (II) of MIDC,said that the government has the right to repeal the notification as the actual land acquisition is yet to happen.

“We have not made any decision on the future of the land,” he said.

SEZ plan trashed,Karla land may come in handy for industrial corridor

The 1,140-hectare land notified for the now-scrapped Special Economic Zone (SEZ) of Karla might come in useful for the proposed Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). Although officials of the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) refused to reveal anything,senior officials in the Ministry of Industries confirmed that the stations of the corridor might come up in the area,which was earlier notified to be acquired for an SEZ of Mahindra & Mahindra.

Ajit Ralekar,regional officer (II) of MIDC,Pune,said that as of now,their office has not received any concrete proposal about usage of the land. “The detailed maps for the DMIC are being prepared and it would all be clear within six months,” he said.

The corridor,which aims to set up industrial zones 100 metres of either side of the Delhi-Mumbai railway line,aims at promoting growth of specific industries in the region. Relekar said that land has been acquired for the DMIC in Indapur for setting up stations there. MIDC is a partner in preparation of the DMIC corridor for Maharashtra.

Regarding the land in Karla,Ralekar said although the SEZ has not been set up,chances of it being used for other purposes are high. “The notification has resulted in the inclusion of name of the MIDC in the 7/12 land records. Maybe sometime later we will utilize the land,” he said.

Senior officers from the Ministry of Industries,on the condition of anonymity,said plans are afoot to utilise the land spread across eight villages including Shiratne and Dahibati in Maval area for setting up similar nodes for the area. “With the land being notified,acquisition would be easier,” he said. The SEZ was scrapped because of violent protests by farmers.

According to the official website of the DMIC,Node 19 passes through Pune-Khed region,which the website points out is 100 kilometre from the dedicated freight corridor of Vasai. This node,which is along the Pune-Nashik Road,would try to augment special export-oriented SEZs,setting up of integrated logistic hub and integrated townships. This region also has been identified as the location of the Pune Airport.