Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (NR)
Mangalore, Jul 30: A public contact cum grievances meeting was held at Sri Narayana Sabha Griha Permude where deputy commissioner M Maheshwar Rao came to meet the residents along with Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) land acquisition officer Vijayakumari Shenoy and Mangalore SEZ chief operating officer A G Pai here, on Sunday July 30.
Hundreds of residents of Permude region welcomed the first citizen of the district, the deputy commissioner in a novel manner, by wearing black ribbon band around their foreheads as a mark of protest against the land acquisition process for Special Economic Zone (SEZ).
The residents shouted slogans in unison “We do not want SEZ project" at the grievances meeting. They displayed hostile banners in Kannada where KIADB in one of the banners hung outside the venue was addressed as ‘Capitalist’. The dais was also adorned with apt cartoons, placards and caricatures depicting the ill-effects of SEZ.
The major grouse of the public is that KIADB has plans to acquire around 760 acres of private land and 108 acres of government land in Permude village alone and by the said act more than 460 families will be displaced.
Even though the DC spoke about attractive rehabilitation and resettlement packages, which promised maximum rate for the land, training and jobs for those who lose their land, the residents lead by Krishi Bhoomi Samrakshana Vedike activists were not pacified and they vociferously opposed the acquisition move of KIADB and refused to give up their lands for the said purpose.
The efforts of the MSEZ CEO A G Pai’s to pacify the villagers was in vain and as the protest started gathering momentum, this ultimately made the DC to lose his patience and retort “I am not your servant to obey your orders. I came here to listen to your grievances. I am the deputy commissioner, so give due respect to my position” he ordered.
Also present at the meeting was Krishi Bhoomi Samrakshana Vedike president advocate Madhukar Amin Shibaroor, secretary Lawrence D’Cunha, ZP member Victoria D’Cunha and JD(S) leader J S Noronha.