A sand sculpture created on Panambur beach here on Sunday aimed at creating public awareness on the adverse impacts of the Mangalore Special Economic Zone (MSEZ).
Created by a five-member team from the city-based Lahari Group of Artists, the sculpture attracted hundreds of visitors to the beach. Many of them, however, did not notice the statement “Stop MSEZ” at the bottom of the huge sculpture.
When a few visitors read the phrase and sought asked the artists, led by Harish Kodialbail, they were told that many farmers had lost their lands for MSEZ and were facing hardships as their source of livelihood had been taken away.
Activists from the Citizen Forum distributed pamphlets on the issue.
While a few visitors were sympathisers of the project, another section appreciated the concerns raised by the artwork. S.R. Yadav, an engineer from Rajasthan, said that the monster represented industries, as some factories had been depicted on the head, and the farmers were being crushed by the monster in his mouth.
He told The Hindu that industries were essential but the Government should first acquire barren lands for such projects and leave farm lands. In any case, the farmers had to be taken care of, he added.
