Braving the onslaught of MSEZ

If one might say it, this is a very defiant story of Mr Gregory Patrao, an innovative and hard working farmer residing in Kalavar, Mangalore who is fighting tooth and nail against the illegal acquisition of his fertile agricultural land for Mangalore Special Economic Zone (MSEZ). He says ‘many farmers fell prey to the attractive packages promised by MSEZ which was published in papers and telecast on television. Promises apart, they were all thoroughly disappointed by the actual package. The people in this project area have been cheated by KIADB-MSEZ nexus by giving paltry compensation to the displaced people. This nexus is also responsible for grossly undervaluing the agricultural and horticultural wealth of the project area. Even when the people who lost their horticultural wealth were compensated, they were not paid as per 2007 rates fixed by the Department of Horticulture but were paid as per the 2003 rates. This is nothing but day robbery.’

Mr Gregory with his mother and nephew at their house in Kalavar, Mangalore

This is not for the first time that he is called to ‘sacrifice’ his land. He says ‘earlier I lost half an acre to MRPL. After losing my land when I applied for a job in MRPL, I was told that jobs would be given to only those who have lost their house and not those who have lost their land alone. Some of the people who protested for not being given jobs were arrested and put in Bellary jail. Everyone in this area knows that MRPL has cheated many people by snatching away their land and now it is the turn of MSEZ. Sadly, now MSEZ has some of the people who were earlier with MRPL like Mr A G Pai, who is the chief operating officer of MSEZ. This leaves us with no respite from the fraudulent practices of these companies who appear time and again to oppress the poor people.’

Mr Gregory recalls how in the late 80s he used to work for a salary of Rs 10 by helping the survey team which was finalizing the location for MRPL without knowing what this company was all about. He says ‘we were told that a good company would come up in the area and we were assured of jobs and other good facilities. But later the company erected a big wall and the company began operational but we have not yet received the jobs. What we have received from MRPL is only smoke and destruction of our environment by pollution.’

He is proud when he says ‘I cultivate about 40 different types of agricultural and horticultural products in my 14 acres of land. Coconut, areca nut, mango, sapota, guava, vanilla, jackfruit, cashew nut, pine-apple, papaya, and paddy are some of those products.’

He says ‘I will continue to fight for my land. I know that MSEZ and KIADB are at fault. I am ready to expose their fraudulent practices. As I have not collected any money from KIADB, I will carry on with my fight till I get justice. I am hopeful that court would deliver the judgement in my favour as I have all my land records straight.’

No doubt he has been a ‘hard nut to crack’ for the MSEZ. It remains to be seen how long Mr Gregory’s fight for justice will survive MSEZ’s fight for industry. But Gregory’s victory or loss would strongly determine what would happen to many farmers’ protests against forcible acquisition of fertile agricultural land throughout this country.