Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (MM/AF)
Pics: Prajwal Ukkuda

Mangalore, Apr 3: Residents of Permude, Thenka Yekkar, Kuttettur and Delantabettu villages, headed by Krishi Bhoomi Samrakshana Samiti, had a dialogue with district commissioner (DC) M Maheshwar Rao and requested him to de-notify their lands immediately, on Thursday, April 3.

Members of Krishi Bhoomi Samrakshana Samiti said that a total of 2035 acres of land has been notified for Mangalore Special Economic Zone (MSEZ). Meanwhile, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has taken a decision that farmers’ lands should not be taken for SEZ forcefully. The residents of the four villages are not willing to sell their land to MSEZ at any cost. Therefore, their land should be de-notified within 20 days failing which a strong protest will be staged against the administration, they warned.

MSEZ has failed to secure environmental clearance and there should be no legal hurdle to DC now that the Prime Minister has given his decision on the matter. Therefore, the DC should give clear answer to the residents about his stand with regard to their lands as the farmers here do not want to go on with cultivation on their lands owing to uncertainties, they informed.

Most of the residents in the four villages are daily wage earners. They are losing their daily bread by running behind the government officers and the residents are totally fed up with the attitude of MSEZ officers. If the same situation continues, the forthcoming elections will be boycotted, they cautioned.

However, DC Maheshwar Rao did not give them a clear assurance and answered their questions diplomatically.

Madhukar Amin, Lawrence D’Cunha, Vidya Dinkar, John Pinto Permude, Sunder Salian, Hemalatha Bhat, William D’Souza and others were part of the delegation. Later they staged a protest in front of the DC’s office and asked all the political parties to come to their help.