Medha to up ante in anti-SEZ fight

MUMBAI: Social activist Medha Patkar’s National Alliance for People’s Movements (NAPM) is planning to intensify its agitation against all special economic zone (SEZ) projects in the country. In response to a call given by the local Dharavi Bet Bachao Samiti (DBBS) which is opposing the proposed SEZ at Gorai — a slice of Mumbai’s western suburbs — the NAPM has planned to wage a battle against all SEZ projects. Ms Patkar addressed a rally at Gorai on Monday as part of NAPM’s ‘Nandigram to Narmada campaign’ against farm land acquisition, environmental destruction and socio-economic costs of the industrial projects including SEZs.

A large number of farmers and fishermen from the area attended the rally. They came all the way from Vasai and Mandwa to register their protest. The NAPM protest began in Nandigram, the epicentre of all anti-SEZ stirs in India, and culminated into a rally at Gorai. Ms Patkar said industrial projects like SEZs will not only lead to a huge revenue loss but also jeopardise the livelihood of small farmers and marginal communities like fishermen.

Ms Patkar said the NAPM was going to scale up the agitation against all SEZ projects in the country, particularly in West Bengal and Maharashtra which had bagged the maximum SEZ proposals. The proposed blockade at Gorai has been planned to register a symbolic protest against all SEZs including the two projects proposed in Navi Mumbai and Raigad districts.

Several social organisations and NGOs participated in the campaign including Bhumi Uchched Parishad from Nandigram, Krishi Zameen Prathirod Committee, Singur, Nadi Ghatti Morcha, Chhattisgarh, Bharat Jana Andolan and Narmada Bachao Andolan.

Joseph Gonsalves of the DBBS criticised the manner in which the government had given its consent for development of the entire Dharavi island of 5740 hectares for the Gorai SEZ, disregarding the future of the fishing community and the 1.25 lakh people engaged in traditional occupations.