The Hindu

• The project has caused misery to displaced farmers and families 
• Fishermen suffered owing to rough weather, sea for most part
• Banking and aviation moved in the positive direction

Mangalore, Jan 2: The Mangalore Special Economic Zone project, which was being touted as a vehicle of growth for the region, was entangled in controversies in the year that went by. The first phase of land acquisition for the project, where 1800-acres of land were acquired, went off smoothly. The trouble started when 2035 acres were notified for acquisition in the second phase in May 2007.

This was when the Samyukta Hitarakshana Samiti, spearheaded by Bhujanga Shetty, was upstaged by Krishi Bhoomi Samrakshana Samiti, led by Madhukar Ameen, in June 2007, as an organisation that represented farmers who were going to be displaced by the project. The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, led by Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, also jumped into the fray. The efforts of the farmers were strengthened by environmental groups in the city. More than four thousand people turned up to voice their dissent during the November 28-public hearing on the environmental impact of the project.

They trashed the earlier claims of the promoters of the project that only a few errant individuals were trying to sabotage the SEZ. The launch of Mangalore-Yeshwanthpur Express train on December 8 came as a big relief to people who had borne the brunt of bad roads. Volvo buses, which earn Rs. 35-lakh a week for Mangalore division of KSRTC, dominated the road transport.

Although the division registered better growth and was looking for more revenue, the introduction of the train to Bangalore has hit it and the private transportershard. Fishermen’s demands for dredging in the waters closer to the coast hardly got attention of the authorities. They had a poor season in October and November. Many fishermen did not venture into the sea fearing loss. Cuttlefish, an export species, eluded them. They were, however, happy that encroachment of fishing territory got good attention, with Goa and Karnataka Government announcing fishing holidays for the same period, unlike in the past.

Two merchant vessels, Den Den and Cheng Le Men bore the brunt of rough Arabian Sea at the height of monsoon. Three sailors from Den Den lost their lives, off the Tannirbhavi coast. The authorities concerned had to maintain a constant vigil against pollution from Den Den, which ran aground, close to the coast. Sailors on board Cheng Le Men were lucky that prompt salvage operations and favourable weather conditions did not see this beached vessel go the Den Den way.

Major power wrangling between the ruling combine and opposition Congress resulted in various rural development activities take a hit in the process. As many as 49 gram panchayats receiving the Nirmal Gram Puraskar from the then President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was a feather in the cap for the zilla panchayat.

The district, long regarded as the cradle of banking, took a logical step forward in complying with Reserve Bank of India’s norms in achieving financial inclusion. Concerted efforts the banks and non-governmental organisations, ensured that every household in the district had a “no-frills account”. Flight services to Baharain, Doha, Abudhabi and Mucat began from Bajpe airport. On the domestic front, new flight services to Goa, Kochi and Kozhikode, began.