SEZ land acquisition notices in Raigad

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Monday decided to issue land acquisition notices in 29 villages in the Raigad district where the Maha Mumbai SEZ is coming up.

Notices will be served to farmers and landowners in the region under Section 6 of the land Acquisition Act, 1894, according to a decision taken by a panel of state government secretaries.

Section 6 of the Act stipulates that the government needs to issue notices to landowners within a year after notifying the land acquisition process. The state’s intent to acquire land is provided under section 4 of the Act.

However, a separate section — Section 5 of the Act — allows landowners to present their side of the story to the government appointed land acquisition officer.

The officer concerned has to give a personal hearing, records possible objections raised by landowners and then make suggestions to the government. But the state has the power to overrule the objections.

Meanwhile, sensing opposition from farmers, the state government has put anti-SEZ activists under house-arrest. The state police spokesperson defended the action saying that some of them had planned self-immolation. “The action has been taken to avoid any untoward incident,” the spokesperson said.