By promulgating an Ordinance to amend the Land Acquisition Act, the Union government is trying to privatise government lands in the country, said writer Devanur Mahadeva, here, on Sunday.
He was speaking at ‘Mannu — Naavariyada Jagatthu’, a programme organised by various environmental organisations at Rangayana. Considering the aggressiveness with which the government has pursued the Act, it appears that none of the natural resources are safe from commercial exploitation, he said. He said, with the ordinance, ownership of lands would come under a few individuals. The government is dancing to the tunes of wealthy corporations, he said. Awareness should be created among the youth and students about such legislations. There should be a nationwide movement against ordinances, he said.
Earlier, journalist Nagesh Hegde said, the corporate system was commercialising natural resources. Citing an example, he said, soil from Holenarsipur in Hassan district is taken to the industrial area in Mumbai, where only five per cent urea is added. Later, the same soil is sold as urea to farmers, he said. The farming community is losing independence since India achieved freedom. The corporate system is fooling the farmers in all stages, he said.
