The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : ‘Praja court’ to expose State on SEZs

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

‘Praja court’ to expose State on SEZs

Staff Reporter

‘Only 350 houses were constructed till now as part of the R&R package and jobs provided to 40 persons’

Kakinada: The Kakinada SEZ Vyatireka Porata Ikya Vedika will do its own survey of the SEZ area and hold a ‘Praja court’ to expose the government’s misdeeds.

A lot has been promised but little was done for welfare of the displaced while the government was going ahead with the project surreptitiously, said N. Suresh Babu, South India Convener of Anti-SEZ Struggle Committee.

Speaking to media persons here on Saturday, Mr. Babu said the Government should declare every person in the SEZ area as displaced in addition to only those owning land who were hitherto considered for drafting the relief and rehabilitation (R&R) package.

PCPIR

Benefits envisaged under the R&R package have to be made applicable to all such aggrieved persons who include the fishermen community and traditional artisans. Only 350 houses were constructed till now as part of the R&R package and jobs provided to 40 persons as watch and ward staff.

Mr. Babu said the Government was making its moves silently for launching the Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Region (PCPIR) project between Visakhapatnam and Kakinada. It had cancelled a survey commissioned to assess the infrastructure requirement of PCPIR as a symbolic gesture while the Central Government has recently given a formal clearance to the project in spite of stiff opposition from different quarters. These overtures would be fought against in the days ahead as the livelihood of a huge number of poor people was at stake.

Ch. Venugopal of Bahujan Samaj Party and others were present.

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