Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (NR)
 
Mangalore, Mar 17:  A new committee, namely, Pragathipara Krishikara Hitharakshana Vedike (PKHV) was formed on Sunday March 16 here at Baikampady, to support MSEZ and collectively bargain for better rehabilitation and settlement package. On the other side there is the Krishi Bhoomi Samrakshana Samithi (KBSS) a farmers’ body, which is fighting against MSEZ by strictly not parting with their land for the latter.
 
The elected office-bearers of the PKHV on the occasion were Vijaykumar Shetty as honorary president, Yashodhar Shetty Ekkar as president, Pradyumna Rao as general secretary and Ibrahim as treasurer. There were around 60 people present during the formation of the committee.   

Former MLA and newly-elected committee president Vijaykumar Shetty addressing the new committee in his speech made a plea stating “Some people might go through hardships because of the displacement, but they must bear it for the betterment of the nation.”  

Later speaking to press persons Shetty informed that PKHV has three major demands viz., to have land value fixed at Rs 35 lac an acre, two members from each displaced family to be given jobs in the new project or Rs 7 lac in exchange for each job and the SEZ ensuring that there are no polluting industries on its premises.  

According to Shetty those people who were large land owners were willing to sell their land and most of them happened to be settled outside the villages. Moreover he said that SEZ would help in improving the economic condition of the country and therefore would urge all companies under SEZ to provide employment to the Kannadigas, he added.  

Justifying their action in not forming this new committee earlier, although the anti-SEZ agitation had been ensuing for more than a year now, the committee members replied that they were biding for the right time when the prices for their lands were at the peak. Further Shetty said that "Under MSEZ, textiles, watch and boat manufacturing units must be allowed. This will generate employment. We will urge two educated member from every displaced family to be given employment," he added.  

One of the members G K Poovappa claimed he owned around 20 acres of land in Permude village. He wanted to get the best price and dispose off the same. However he retracted his claim when a journalist mentioned that he had only  eight acres of land and confessed that he had in-fact only 10 acres of land.  

With rising labour cost and falling prices of agricultural produce, farming is no longer a profitable venture, averred Henry Pinto another member.  Also according to some members it is only petty land owners, mostly Dalits, who were opposed to the project. Many of the protesters, they opined, were not even land losers. They are mostly landless agricultural labourers who are creating trouble for us, pointed out some members.
 
Although the turn-out of members was poor at the Sunday meet, the members still remained firm with regard to their earlier claims that 80% of the land holders from the 2,035 acres notified for the Phase II of the MSEZ project were willing to sell their land. They urged for some more time to prove their majority.