Communist Party of India (Marxist) has resolved to urge the government not to implement the Mangalore Special Economic Zone until a scientific and objective study is made towards assessing its impact on agriculture, land, water, environment and population of the district.
Informing this to media here on Wednesday, newly elected CPIM District Secretary B Madhava said the resolution was passed during the recent district convention of the party.
The convention also urged to bring amendments to the Land Acquisition Act 1894 in order to provide proper compensation and rehabilitation package not only to the affected farmers but also all dependant population, he said.
Mr Madhava said the party demanded the government to implement small irrigation projects in the district by erecting dams across prominent rivers like Netravathi, Kumaradhara, Phalguni and Shambhavi.
The government should immediately announce support price to areca, pepper, coconut and similar crops, while it should establish an Areca Board in the lines of Coffee Board. Mr K R Sriyan, the former secretary of district CPM, said the Board was necessary to avoid middlemen and control fluctuations in the rates.
The other demands include: train service between Mangalore and Bangalore in day time; train service between Mangalore and Hyderabad and a comprehensive pass port office in Mangalore. Mr Madhava said the CPM condemned the recent attack on Christians in Orissa. He also said the act of inviting Biharis to write Railway examinations in Bangalore is incorrect.
CPM office-bearers Vasanth Achari and Sunil Kumar Bajal were present in the press meet.