Left to intensify fight against SEZ policy
Left and civil society activists have come together to dub the creation of Special Economic Zones as a policy of favouring corporate houses over farmers.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: Left and civil society activists have come together to dub the creation of Special Economic Zones as a policy of favouring corporate houses over farmers.
Alleging that the government was creating a “new breed of mansabdars and zamindars” under the framework of the SEZ Act, the CPI demanded the setting up of a high-level commission to re-examine the concept and related issues.
Quoting IMF chief economist’s estimate that the loss of revenue to the public exchequer will be to the tune of Rs 1,75,000 crore, the CPI said that this in turn would lead to cuts in budgetary provisions which benefit the poor.
“This is an incredible example of ensuring super profit for the corporate houses at the cost of the public exchequer, the farmers and the poor. And what is amazing is that the government is acting as agents of these corporate houses in creating them,” CPI general secretary A B Bardhan said.
Left and civil society activists have made the SEZ policy a rich versus poor issue and are alleging that the policy tilted heavily in favour of corporate houses by providing tax holidays, minimum environmental regulations and no labour laws.
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A delegation including Rajendra Sachar, Kuldip Nayar and Kavita Krishnan on Wednesday presented a memorandum to commerce minister Kamal Nath demanding repeat of the SEZ Act “in the light of the undemocratic nature of its conceptualisation, adoption and severe implications it has on marginalised groups.”Reflecting similar views, CPI national executive adopted a resolution demanding a halt to the creation of SEZs, re-examination of the SEZ Act and amendments to the Land Acquisition Act. “These fenced off tax exempt and labour laws exempt enclaves will be deemed foreign territory for our own citizenry and only the dictates of the SEZ foreign authority will apply,” the resolution said.
It also said that the SEZs will bring about large-scale imbalance in development of regions and the employment generated will be only a fraction of the numbers displaced from their livelihood. Mr Bardhan said the Uttar Pradesh government had given 2500 acres of land in Dadri to a corporate house for a power plant which requires only 50 acres.
“The agricultural land that is being offered is many times more than what is required for the actual undertaking. Thus new real estate owners are coming up who will provide houses and amenities only for the rich and make huge earnings for themselves,” the CPI said.
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"This is veritable loot sanctioned by the government," the CPI said.Download
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