Appoint expert committee to probe land grab: Medha Patkar
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15/10/2008
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Indian Express (Mumbai)
Pune, October 14 Social activist Medha Patkar has demanded the appointment of an inquiry committee to probe into the land acquisition and diversion of water for developmental projects. Patkar who was in Pune on Monday is touring the state to take up issues of those, who have to bear the ill affect of industrialisation.
Demanding a probe into the alleged cases of land grab in and around Pune for various projects, Patkar said a report should be readied soon to check on the surplus land acquired for various projects.
Terming the shifting of Tata Motors Nano project from Singur as a victory for local farmers, she stressed that development was possible with minimum displacement. She said setting up of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) was not industrialisation but just land grabbing.
In Pune she earlier visited Mulshi and Maval areas to address the issues of the displaced families of the Tata Power project, Pavana dam and Khed SEZ. Patkar had earlier submitted a memorandum to the divisional commissioner of Pune, Nitin Kareer on the rehabilitation policy and is carrying out a state- wide agitation to get the government to work towards investigating the land grabbing in Pune and other parts of the state. Meanwhile, Tata Power in a media statement said that the land acquisition done for setting up its hydro projects 80 years ago was done legally and officially. The statement further mentions "Tata Power's hydro power station has been serving clean and green power to Mumbai since last 8 decades. The Company maintains that there are no dues pending of the concerned persons. In meetings held with Tata Power representatives and the relevant local Government officials it has been acknowledged that Tata Power has met all legal obligations pertaining to the issue,''
The company has clarified that they had extended all support to the government in their land inquiry and has produced records pertaining to the land acquired through the government for the hydro facility to the Collector (Pune).
The records included details of each parcel of land acquired for the project, compensation paid to the government for the acquired land and for other essentials.