Journalism of Courage
Farmers who had given up their land for Khed Special Economic Zone have asked the the company and the MIDC to fulfil the promise of benefits they were promised,including 15 per cent buy back policy of developed land. These farmers instead have been given shares in the company. The farmers want the promise fulfilled before the land is developed for airport.
Nearly 1,207 hectares were acquired for the Khed SEZ and there were about 950 farmers from Nimgaon,Davadi,Kanersar,Gosasi and Kendur villages in the area. In a meeting,farmers have told the Pune district collector and divisional commissioner that they should be given all the benefits promised under rehabilitation package when the land was acquired. They also threatened agitation if the government does not give them a hearing.
Manohar Gorgalle accompanied by other farmers in the area have put up their demands against the Khed Developers Limited Company or else return back their land. We were given a raw deal. We got only Rs 17 lakh an acre and the promised jobs and buy-back policy according to the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation rules have not been implemented, said Manohar Gorgalle,the secretary of the KDL Viroddhi Bachav Samiti.
Divisional Commissioner Prabhakar Deshmukh said they would discuss the matter with the concerned authorities before proceeding with the land acquisition for airport. Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan had recently had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the pending proposal of the Pune airport and had cleared the site with the Airport Authority of India. The proposal included taking land partially from the SEZ and acquiring private land.
With the land being mostly barren and no obstructions the area was cleared. Talks are on with the farmers, said a district administration official. When the SEZ was announced,the Khed Developers Limited was formed and had promised farmers jobs at the SEZ. Farmers now doubt that they would not get the promised benefits. Last week the anti-Khed SEZ airport and anti-Khed Developers Limited had protested in their villages and met Deputy CM Ajit Pawar to discuss their demands.
He assured that land will not be forcibly taken and they will be given what they were promised. Of the 4,500 hectares of the SEZ,750 hectares will be utilised for the airport while the government would have to acquire only 425 hectares. Earlier District Collector Vikas Deshmukh had said that the change of purpose of land falls flat as according to the Supreme Court norms the SEZ or any other land acquired can be utilised for the project for larger interest for public.
