Media Release
Mangalore, Nov 4: Mangalore Special Economic Zone Limited (MSEZL) has taken serious view of the deliberate attempts by certain vested interests to spread misinformation that the company has been forcibly acquiring land from land owners for SEZ purposes. MSEZL feels that some outside elements are trying to mislead the public by giving wrong information about SEZ to malign the company and gain public support for their cause. The recent incident where the Company had to face difficulties in carrying out its activities for relocating places of worship in Survey number 32 of Permude village shows that certain persons who are not land owners are misleading the land owners and others as well.
The Survey No. 32 cited above has been legally acquired by MSEZL in May 2008 through KIADB for relocating local deities Sri Kodamanithaya and Permude Sri Pilichamundi temples and also Nagabanas along with related families, based on the written request of Project Displaced Families (PDF’s) dated 19.09.07. Accordingly, the MSEZL had identified suitable land in the Survey No. 32 of Permude village and has acquired the same through KIADB.
The vested elements have been spreading rumours that MSEZL has been acquiring the land forcibly, which is far from truth. The reality is that land owners of 10.85 acres out of the total 14.43 acres in this area have already taken compensation from the KIADB. The remaining are also in the process of getting the same, the delay being due to lack of proper documents in their possession.
There appears to be an organized effort to stall the Mangalore SEZ Project. Unless the above mentioned temples, etc. are shifted, work cannot proceed in respect of the Rs.6,000 Crore Aromatics Complex being established by ONGC Mangalore Petrochemicals Ltd. (OMPL).
Both KIADB and MSEZL have followed due procedures in acquiring the land in Survey No. 32 of Permude village for relocating places of worship and houses of PDF’s, as the chronology of events given below shows:-
Notification under section 28(1) of the KIADB Act, 1966 was published in the State Gazette on 10-05-07 for a larger area including the above land.
Notification under section 28(4) of the KIADB Act was published in the State Gazette on 27-3-2008 for Kudubi Padavu land.
Notification under section 28(6) of the KIADB Act was served to land owners on 3-04-2008 for Kudubi Padavu land.
KIADB gave the letter transferring possession of the said land to MSEZL on 6-5-2008.
It can be seen from the above that MSEZL has been abiding by all stipulated procedures in acquiring land and carrying out developmental activities in it.
MSEZL urges the public to kindly take note of the fact that MSEZL has legally taken possession of this land by consent without using any force.