CPI opposes farmlands for SEZs sans WB

KOLKATA: The CPI has decided to oppose the Centre’s decision to approve the acquisition of large tracts of farmland in different states for setting up Special Economic Zones (SEZs). However, the party will not oppose similar plans of the West Bengal government to acquire land in the state for SEZs.

“CPI will oppose Orissa’s move to hand over several acres of multi-crop land to the Korean steel major Posco and the Tatas. But we strongly support the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government’s act of handing over a portion of farmland to the Tatas at Singur in Hooghly district,” Mr Nandagopal Bhattacharjee, CPI national council member and West Bengal minister for water resources development told ET on Monday.

Mr Bhattacharjee’s remarks come at a time when his party’s West Bengal unit has demanded an exclusive meeting with Left Front constituents to discuss the Singur land acquisition issue.

About the rationale behind his party’s stance in West Bengal where the Left Front government had acquired farmland at Singur for Tata Motors’ proposed small car unit, the minister said: “The situation in our state is totally different from other parts of the country.

Our government is offering a comprehensive compensation package to land losers, arranging for their training and even promised to offer jobs to the family members of the affected persons.” “West Bengal is a food surplus state and the government is determined to retain its status. If necessary, the state government may acquire a small portion of farmland for industrialisation. But our general policy is to acquire non-fertile land, and those of closed industrial units for industrialisation,” said Mr Bhattacharjee.

“Our government has decided not to acquire multi-crop land as it will throw farmers out of work and affect the balance between industry and agriculture which we are trying to maintain,” he said. That is the reason why we are not opposing Left Front government’s plans to industrialise the state by setting up SEZs,” Mr Bhattacharjee said.

“I went to Bhubaneswar this morning. Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik has acquired huge tracts of multi-crop land and is selling it to Posco. Local farmers are fighting the government,” the minister said.

“The Orissa government has given out several acres of farmland in Jajpur to the Tatas. But the Tatas and the government failed to construct walls around the land because of stiff opposition by the farmers. Thirteen farmers, who were trying to prevent the state administration from walling up the land, had been killed.”