Activists take up cudgels against proposed SEZ Act

The proposed Act provides for tax holidays for developers for 25 years,complete control over governance of the area,complete privatisation of water and electricity supply with the right to determine its rates and no jurisdiction of laws except law and order machinery.

The protestors have demanded the scrapping of the proposed SEZ law alleging that it was lopsided giving undue tax holidays and arbitrary powers to the developer. Anti-SEZ activist Ulka Mahajan said that a huge protest march was held at Azad Maidan on Tuesday and several anti-SEZ groups will carry out simultaneous protests at six locations – Goa,Aurangabad,Nashik,Nagpur,Raigad – besides the one in Pune.

The proposed law states that labour laws that allow formation of unions,are not applicable in such zones. So locals who have given up their land for these zones and are promised employment cannot protest if they face problems from the developer.

“Huge tracts of land are being acquired and only 30 per cent are actually put to use by developers and the remaining land remains with developers affecting the locals in a big way. There is loss of livelihood and so this act is totally anti-people,” Mahajan said.

Activists stressed that the state will lose around Rs 1,75,000 crore in tax concessions. This is a backdoor for privatisation and MLAs in the legislature should protest against it. Activists have also put up a strong resistance to the SEZ Act because of lack of clarity on environmental hazards. The activists allege that the Act will only make land acquisition easier and take away the livelihood of people.