Big spending on infrastructure for SEZs deplored

Monday October 23 2006 13:01 IST
VISAKHAPATNAM: Human Rights Forum general secretary K Balagopal deplored
the Special Economic Zone policy of both the state and Centre for
spending huge sums on providing infrastructure facilities in the lands
allotted for SEZs even before the companies start coming.

Speaking to reporters here on Sunday, Balagopal said the government was
merely hoping that a large number of companies would set up units while
only a handful of companies have commenced operations in SEZs in the
country till now.

He asserted that there was no need to allot large tracts of land on the
presumption that companies would make beelines.

Balagopal said an HRF team comprising president B Ramulu, Vizag chapter
convener V S Krishna and himself had toured the villages facing
displacement due to the SEZ in Achutapuram and Rambilli mandals and
found that the farmers were not happy with the compensation being paid
by the government.

The government was ready to pay around Rs 2.95 lakh for the lands owned
by them. This amount would not be sufficient to buy even 1/5th of an
acre anywhere in the city.
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEA20061023024003&Page=A&Title=Southern+News+%2D+Andhra+Pradesh&Topic=0&aDate=10%2F23%2F2006