MSEZ: Vedike challenges KCCI
Following the letter written by Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI) President G G Mohandas Prabhu to the government pressurising to acquire the land for Mangalore Special Economic Zone (MSEZ), the members of Krishi Bhoomi Samrakshana Vedike have invited the KCCI President and members to hold an open discussion with the farmers to understand the reality.
Speaking to the media persons here on Saturday, Forum President Madhukar Amin alleged that the KCCI is supporting MSEZ without understanding the actual fact.
“The KCCI President who has mentioned MSEZ as ‘General Purpose Multi Product Zone’ in his letter written to Large and Medium Scale Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani, probably has forgotten that the same KCCI in its first letter on SEZ written to the Chief Minister in 2001 had requested the government to keep Mangalore away from the hazardous industries. In contrast, the KCCI is now favouring to establish hazardous industries in the region,” he said.
He criticised KCCI for portraying fertile land of the four villages as barren land, to convince the government that the land is suitable for industries.
Forum Member Hemalatha Bhat criticised the KCCI for claiming that setting up of MSEZ would give employment to 1,25,000 people.
In the last three years, SEZ has not employed even 500 people and how can they assure to provide jobs to 1 lakh and odd people, she asked. Quoting the statement of the head of ONGC who had said that hazardous industries demand highly skilled labourers, far more skilled than the graduates from Karnataka Polytechnic College, she questioned how can the MSEZ provide jobs as per the given assurances.
Welcoming the decision of the State government to stop the land acquisition for MSEZ, the Forum members said that they have emerged victorious in the first fight but they would continue fighting against the setting up of large scale hazardous industries in the district.
