THE Madras High Court has upheld an order dated November 3, 2006, of the Industries Department, acquiring 395.87 hectares of land in Oragadam and Sennakuppam villages in Kancheepuram district for setting up special economic zones (SEZs). In their writ petitions, M Haridoss and 15 others had challenged the acquisition proceedings on various grounds. Dismissing the petitions, Justice P Jyothimani observed that there had been compliance of service of notice and hearing of petitioners' grievances. The government had initiated the proceedings considering the larger industrial development of the State on the basis of the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Lands for Industrial Purposes Act. This apart, of the 6,500 land owners, except 16 persons, all others had either accepted the compensation or surrendered their lands by accepting the acquisition proceedings. "Therefore, I am of the considered view that the petitioners are not entitled for any relief as claimed for," the judge said and dismissed the petitions. The judge, however, said that in respect of cases where the land was required to be retained for religious or small-scale industrial purposes, it was open to the petitioners concerned to make a proper representation to the government for withdrawal of land or for any other relief.