: Protest against the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill 2015 continued to intensify with more than 30 organisations on Saturday deciding to join hands on the issue.
Thirty organisations including Left political parties, farmers associations and labour unions have decided to put up a united front under the banner of Campaign against Land Acquisition (CLA) against the contentious Bill.
After a meeting of representatives, it was decided to hold a massive demonstration in front of Raj Bhawan on April 10.
“According to the Land Acquisition Act, consent of 80 per cent land losers for private projects and 70 per cent for projects under public private partnership was required. But, the BJP-led government after coming to power has exempted five categories of projects from the clause. This means private projects could go for land acquisition without adhering to the consent provision,” said Rabi Das, convenor of CLA.
The campaign members claimed that delay in land acquisition was not the obstacle behind stalling of big projects. “As high as 93 per cent of big ticket projects have been stalled due to a host of other reasons, while stalling of 7 per cent of projects can be attributed to delay in land acquisition.”
“The Narendra Modi-government has also removed the social impact assessment clause. It will affect the interests of project-displaced people,” said Prasant Paikray, spokesperson of Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti.
Senior leaders like Lingaraj of Aam Admi Party, Left leaders like Suresh Panigahi, Ashis Kanungo, Bhalachandra Sarangi and Sibaram and former State Finance Minister Panchanan Kanungo are involved in coordination of the movement.
After the proposed April 10 demonstration, 30 grassroots organisations would take forward the protest to the village level making them aware about the alleged ill-impact of the Bill.
‘Delay in land acquisition was not an obstacle behind stalling of big projects’
