Raigad farmers vote against SEZ

In the first-ever state-sponsored referendum in the country involving farmers, more than 6,000 land-owners from 22 Raigad villages made their views on a special economic zone known.Judging by the mood of the farmers in the command area of the Hetwane irrigation dam, it appears that the Reliance group will have its task cut out to acquire land for its multi-crore SEZ project in the Konkan area.Of the 10,000 hectares of land required for one of the biggest SEZs in the country, nearly 3,000 hectares of land lie in 22 villages in the Hetwane dam area.There are 131 SEZs in Maharashtra which are slated to attract an investment of Rs 1.35 lakh crore and generate 60 lakh jobs. Although Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance group claims to have offered a lucrative compensation package to the Raigad land-owners, resentment runs deep in the local communities.Whether it is Sadashiv Mhatre from Mothe Bhal village, former sarpanch Ranjana Mhatre or Arun Mhatre from the neighbouring Vashi village, their views are identical. “Don’t ever make an attempt to bribe us. Even if Reliance offers us Rs one crore per hectare, we will not part with our land for the SEZ project. We are determined to ensure that the project does not come up in the Konkan belt. Our motto is ‘SEZ hatao, Konkan bachao,’’ Sadashiv Mhatre said after submitting his opinion in the Mothe Bhal zilla parishad school.The opinion basically comprised four lines saying, “The farmer does not want to part with his land for the project and the government should forthwith withdraw the notices issued under the Land Acquisition Act for acquisition of land.’’