Times of India: Aurangabad:
Sunday, July 28, 2013.
Hundreds of
farmers continued to till and sow on the disputed 35 hectare land in Shendra
for the fifth day, even as senior revenue department and Maharashtra Industrial
Development Corporaiton (MIDC) officials held a high-level meeting on Saturday
to work out a resolution.
The farmers
from villages along the five star industrial estate in Shendra have accused the
administration acquiring their land through "fraudulent" means.
They claimed
that the land was first acquired by irrigation department for creating
percolation tanks, which would increase the ground water level in the region.
The land was,
however, handed over to the MIDC on the payment of Rs 77 lakh. The MIDC in turn
allotted the land to a private company, which was allowed to set up a biotechnology
SEZ at the 100 hectare site.
They also
sought a through probe as to how the MIDC, in 2007, issued a certificate
stating that the MIDC has a clear title of possession of the 100 hectares land
to the private company. Using this certificate, the company applied for SEZ and
was finally approved.
The agitating
farmers, supported by activist and Narmada Bachao Andholan leader Medha Patkar,
are demanding a SIT probe in the entire land acquisition process and allotment
of land for the SEZ.
They submitted
a memorandum to the district collector on Thursday.
MIDC regional
officer Annasaheb Shinde confirmed that a meeting was held at the collectorate
office to discuss the future course of action by the administration.
The farmers
armed with documents procured through RTI have countered the administration's
claim that the land was acquired following proper procedure.
All the
signatures and thumb impressions on agreement copies, possession receipts and
other related documents should be probed for their authenticity, the farmers
have demanded.
Though the
farmers continue to occupy the land for five days, carrying out farming
activity and conducting makeshift school classes for their children, neither
the MIDC nor the company has filed a police complaint against them. No police
action has been taken against the farmers.
Social
activist Subhash Lomte, who has been supporting the farmers, claimed that the
delay in filing a police complaint indicated that there had been some
irregularity. He said that if the administration fails to address the
complaints made by the farmers and a thorough probe is not conducted in the
matter, they approach court.
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