Rlys on Mamata track: No forceful land acquisitions

Prompted by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee’s open opposition to forcible acquisition of agricultural land,the ministry’s latest stance is essentially targeted at stemming the tide of opposition that was building up over the proposed land acquisition in Gautam Budh Nagar.

It was being alleged that many chunks of land,which had been notified for acquisition,were agricultural lands.

Exercising powers under Clause (1) of the Section 20A of the Railways Act,1989,the ministry had on September 11 issued a notification to acquire land in 16 villages in the district for “execution,maintenance,management and operation” of the Special Railway Project — the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor. The 16 villages include Chersi,Mayacha,Devata,Kherli Hafizpur,Jamalpur,Raghunathpur in Sadar Taluk and Rithauri,Ajaybpur,Kaimrala Chakrasenpur,Ghodi Bachcheda,Chamrawali Ramgarh,Hazratpur,Chamrawali Boraki,Thapkheda,Palla and Pali in Dadri Taluk.

Having fought a bitter battle against the Tatas over the setting up of the Nano plant on farmland in Singur,Banerjee does not wish to appear to be heading a ministry that acquires land using the special powers it draws from the Railway Act,1989.

In 2008,the ministry had got an amendment cleared to empower itself to acquire land for special projects. But the fact that Railways have now decided to examine all land acquisition cases has put a big question mark over many big ticket projects where land acquisition proceedings are either on or have been completed. The review of the land acquisition cases can potentially jeopardise the setting up of two locomotive manufacturing units in Madhepura and Marhowra in Bihar.