Even as the Nanguneri Multiproduct Special Economic Zone, which is struggling to take-off for the past 24 years and is now functioning with just eight companies with 400 workers, is facing serious threat from burglars who steal the equipment installed in the companies.
In the past one month, the Nanguneri Multiproduct SEZ has witnessed 15 burglaries and theft in which small generators, batteries, motors, fans, laptops and two bikes have been stolen.
After acquiring around 2,600 acres of land on the Tirunelveli – Kanniyakumari Highway near Nanguneri, the Tamil Nadu Government handed over the lands to Hyderabad-based AMRL for developing industry-friendly infrastructure like road, drinking water, drainage channels, uninterrupted quality power, communication facility etc. to woo the investors setting up their units.
However, AMRL, which failed to attract investments, handed over the land to a Kolkota-based company and moved out of the business after informing the Tamil Nadu Government about its inability to attract investments. Instead of developing infrastructure in the SEZ, the Kolkota-based company mortgaged the land for raising loans to the tune of ₹865 crore.
Meanwhile, the SEZ, which has so far attracted trivial investments, has lost its sheen and the TIDCO, which has 1% stake in this joint venture is unable to retrieve the mortgaged lands. Even though the government officials maintain that the SEZ has 15 companies, only eight manufacturing units with 400 workers are functioning.
“Since the promoter moved out of this venture, there is no security to the entire premises leaving the companies in the SEZ a hunting ground for burglars who steal anything they happen to see inside the SEZ. Even though complaints have been registered with the Nanguneri police, no one has been arrested so far. We suspect these burglaries are being orchestrated with the blessings of a few in this region who want us to leave this premises,” said the manager of a company functioning in the SEZ.
President of Nanguneri AMRL SEZ Unit Holders’ Association S. Veerapandian said the government should take over the SEZ land at the earliest to transform the advantageously situated premises into an industrial cluster by attracting investments.
“Till then, the government should provide us due protection by making sufficient arrangements here,” Mr. Veerapandian said.
