Decoding Daijiworld's loyalty to MSEZ!

Time and again I have been baffled by daijiworld's style of reporting on the controversial MSEZ. It appears as though the daijiworld is blind to the excesses, read abuses/highhandedness, of MSEZ. If not, how else would one explain the selective reporting on the MSEZ that (so easily and frequently!) gets squeezed into daijiworld's pages? 

Let me elaborate. Lets take for example the very recent public audit of the MSEZ. This was indeed 'newsworthy' for Deccan Herald and mangalorean.com among others and not for daijiworld, even when people like Aruna Roy and Medha Patkar were part of the programme! But strangely (or selectively) daijiworld reported the disrtribution of property title deeds just a day prior to this public audit. Its not that this didn't deserve publicity. But my point is why daijiworld attempted to be selective in its reporting on the MSEZ? Now if daijiworld were to be fair and unbiased in its reporting, what prevented it from reporting on the public audit of MSEZ? Is it because the audit took place on a sunday (read holiday) and therefore daijiworld didnt have men/women to cover the event? 

When we dig deeper into the pages of daijiworld, the extensive reporting on MSEZ becomes all the more evident. Thanks to Ms Florine Roche, MSEZ has made it to the pages of daijiworld in diverse ways- interview with the MD and Chief Executive Officer, interview with the Cheif Opearating Officer , report on the R and R colony and many others. At the same time, one wonders why daijiworld has not carried any report on the farmers' struggles/protests, or interviews with the farmers? Even NDTV carried a report on an illustrious farmer from Kalavaru, Mr Gregory Patrao, who has proved to be a real threat for the MSEZ expansion.

Well, it is said that a problem/issue has three sides- the victor's side, victim's side and the right side! Hasn't daijiworld's loyalty to the MSEZ deprived the legitimate space for the other two sides?

Special Economic Zones- Waves of Resistance

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.  

Fertile land converted into barren land- courtesy MSEZ

Worried about the rising prices of vegetables in Mangalore???

Remember MSEZ (supposed to be Mangalore Special Economic Zone but has turned out to be Mangalore Special Exploitation Zone for many farmers) has snatched away 1,815.34 acres of land (1800 acres in the first phase and another 15.34 acres from the second phase) which was mostly fertile land. 

The 15.34 acres of land in the Kudubi Padau area have have literally usurped by the MSEZ to construct temples that were displaced under the first phase of the project. (http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/26/stories/2008102658260300.htm) 

The protests by the people from this area, mostly tribals, carried no weight as the MSEZ goons managed to brush aside the protests by threatening the locals.

The Kudubis now say that supply of vegetables has become scarce because the land that has been taken over by the MSEZ was mostly used to cultivate vegetables.

see below how this fertile land has been converted into barren land!

The protests by the Kudubis have had no effect. Thanks to the government that has supported the rich and the powerful and not these poor farmers. 

See the present state of this fertile land. Fertile land used to construct temples which were displaced in the first phase of the MSEZ project. 'Is this justice' ask the people of kudubi padau. Answer lies with the state government that has allowed this project to go on. This land grab by the MSEZ has rendered many kudubis landless and jobless.

Who will stop this M(SEZ)ESS?

The Mangalore Special Economic Zone (MSEZ) proposed to be set up in the area adjacent to the Mangalore Refineries and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) has been in the news, and very strangely, all for ‘special’ reasons involving threats, betrayals and fraudulent practices. It has been a slow yet steady showdown largely demonstrated by abovementioned features. The proponents of MSEZ indeed bank on some ‘special’ features of this SEZ, known to them alone, and are fighting tooth and nail to bring about its completion.

The total area that the MSEZ has sought to acquire is about 3,985 acres of land spreading over eight villages. Despite the opposition from the local people, it has already acquired 1,800 acres of land and this forms the first phase of MSEZ. The acquisition of a further 2,035 acres of land has caused a lot of hurdles for MSEZ. Yet, to the utter dismay of the local people, the MSEZ officials have been very buoyant about the completion of the project and gone on air, including the launching of the website http://www.mangaloresez.com/ to seek legitimacy for their ‘farmer-unfriendly’ enterprise.

How has MSEZ withstood Opposition?

One of the reasons that makes MSEZ very ‘special’ is that it is not singly owned but jointly owned by Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL & FS) 49%, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited, (MRPL) and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) 26%, Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) 23% and Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI) 2%. One can only imagine the special interest of each of these groups to put to rest all the hurdles in setting up this venture. More importantly, there cannot be a perfect merger than this and this will, as feared by many farmers, NGOs and activists, take care of the easy completion of the project!

On one occasion, the Chief Operating Officer of MSEZ, Mr. A. G. Pai did even go to the extent of making a very obnoxious statement saying that he would cut off the heads of all protestors. (Reported in a local paper, Karavali Ale on 26^th July 2008). The fact that this enterprise is supported and promoted by many groups, including the government, the various officials of MSEZ have given a free rein to their imagination in expressing their disappointment with various activists and NGOs that are opposing the creation of MSEZ especially at the cost of huge fertile agricultural land. It is not surprising then to find their speech and actions reflecting a filthy, inhuman and vicious character.

In the context of rising opposition to MSEZ, the MSEZ officials have even gone to the extent of throwing a grand party to the journalists especially to those in charge of the advertisement section in different newspapers and promising them of many ads from MSEZ. It was reported that there were more than 60 people at the party and during the party MSEZ officials were seen distributing gift coupons to all. A shameless attempt to ‘buy’ the media and to persuade the media personnel so that they exhibit a pro-MSEZ stand. (Karavali Ale, July 24, 2008)

Sadly the government involvement through KIADB and Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) hasn’t been fair either. The farmers say that the KIADB has usurped much of their agricultural land, in the name of development, at rates far less than the market rates. On the other hand, the KSPCB, when it called for a statutory Environmental Public Hearing held in Bajpe town on 28 November 2007, hadn’t provided the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in a language that people could understand, as required by law. Though the Environmental Public Hearing ended abruptly it is sad that the deeply flawed EIA Notification 2006 allows the government to proceed with the process of clearing a project of such scale, even if the process of Public Hearing has not been properly conducted. (http://www.esgindia.org/campaigns/%20Mangalore%20SEZ/%20MangaloreSEZ.html)

Moreover, the proceedings of the public hearing which were sent to the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) further reveal and confirm the fraudulent practices of MSEZ. The Krishi Bhoomi Samrakshana Samiti (KBSS), which is spearheading the protest against the MSEZ, has unearthed certain facts which show that many letters and signatures have been forged in favour of MSEZ! (The New Indian Express, December19, 2007)

Betrayal by the MSEZ

This is what the villagers said about the evolution of MSEZ. First MSEZ approached the villagers and promised them that they wouldn’t acquire their agricultural land and convinced them that they were interested only in non-agricultural land consisting of mainly hilly areas. Thus it notified about 450 acres of land in Permude, Bajpe and Kalavar. People thought of this as easy income as they were paid Rs 8 lakh per acre. MSEZ officials approached the villagers again saying that the acquired land was inadequate and that they needed some more land. Thus additional land, about 1,350 acres, that included both agricultural and non agricultural land, was given to MSEZ. This is how MSEZ acquired and notified close to 1,800 acres of land in Bajpe, Permude, Kalavar villages.

Today, though the efforts are on to get rid of the people in the 1,800 acres coming under the first phase of MSEZ, the people in this area claim that they have not been adequately compensated. The people owning agricultural land have been paid Rs 8.5 lakh per acre and non-agricultural land owners have been paid Rs 8 per acre. This paltry package extends to only those who have been residing in this area before 2005 and those residing after 2005 have been paid still less. There are different packages for different categories of people. But all these compensatory packages, needless to say, didn’t take into consideration the existing market rates while fixing the compensatory amount. But the MSEZ has leased about 82.62 acres of land to Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL), a public sector crude oil reserve, at the rate of an advance of Rs 50 lakh per acre! (http://www.indianrealtynews.com/sezs-india/mangalore-special-economic-zone-sells-over-82-acres-to-isprl.html)

Moreover, the farmers say that for their horticultural wealth they have been paid according to the 2002-2003 rates and not according to the 2006-2007 rates (land was acquired during this time) as fixed by the department of horticulture. It is yet another instance of fraud and double dealing by the MSEZ officials.

As MSEZ is very keen to begin its work in the 1,800 acres of land, the people who continue to reside in this area are threatened to move away immediately though they were assured that no such attempts would be made without granting them residential sites. There are some 100 odd families who cry out ‘in this rainy season where can we go now and where can we find shelter’.

SIA and EIA studies- mere eyewash!

The National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy, 2007 clearly states that the ‘Social Impact Assessment (SIA) is mandatory for all projects involving involuntary displacement of four hundred or more families en masse in plain areas, or two hundred or more families en masse in tribal or hilly areas’. It also says that ‘where it is required as per the provisions of any law, rules regulations or guidelines to undertake Environmental Impact Assessment also, the SIA study shall be carried out simultaneously with the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) study.’ The following table makes it clear that there have been a lot of studies conducted with the help of different consultants.

	Studies conducted	Name of the consultant
1	Conceptual Master plan for Multi-sector SEZ	M/s Mahindra Acres, Chennai
2	Pre-feasibility studies for selection of suitable alignment for Dedicated corridor for MSEZ	M/s L & T Ramboll, Hyderabad
3	River Impounding Study for water storages	M/s Stup Consultants, Bangalore
4	Existing land use pattern of the proposed area	M/s Indian Resource Information and Management Technologies Ltd, (IN-RIMT) Hyderabad
5	Identification of suitable Marine outfall location	National Institute of Oceanography, Goa
6	Snap Investment studies to identify potential Down Stream Industries	M/s CRISIL Ltd, New Delhi
7	Socio Economic Survey	Social Work Dept, Mangalore University and Srinivasa college of social studies, Mangalore
8	Civil Topographical (contour) survey of project site	National Institute of Technology-Karnataka, Suratkal in association with Geo Precise Surveyors, Mangalore
9	Detailed Design, Project Management and Construction of barrages and water infrastructure	M/s Consulting Engineers and Services Ltd, in association with M/s Feed back Venture Ltd, Bangalore

Source: Report by National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, (NEERI) Nagpur

When attempts were made to contact the Srinivasa College of Social Studies to get more information on the Social Impact Assessment Study conducted by them, the Principal of the college stated that Mr. Raghavendra Holla who conducted the study had left the college and therefore expressed his unwillingness to discuss the matter. Interestingly, Mr Holla now works for the MSEZ!

More importantly, EIA and SIA studies were sponsored by MSEZ and one is free to draw further conclusions regarding the credibility of this study! During my visit to this area when I asked the people whether anybody had come to their area for EIA and SIA study many people said ‘their visit would have helped us to convince them that our land is very fertile!’

Who determines whether the land is agricultural or not?

The EIA study reports that 44.62% of the area is under wasteland comprising scrub and barren land and only 24.92% of the land is agricultural land. It is sheer misreading (probably due to heavy reliance on aerial study) or even blindness on the part of those who have conducted this study that they have come up with these figures. When I visited this area and conversed with the villagers they asked me ‘where is the wasteland?’ and they said that their land is very fertile and they grow at least two crops of paddy besides some vegetables and a few pulses. Even some media personnel who came over to this area to do a on the spot study for some TV Channels couldn’t believe their eyes. They went on to declare that ‘those calling this area barren and waste must be definitely blind.’

The MSEZ website states that ‘of the 3985 acres of land proposed for Mangalore SEZ only 28% is cultivated land and remaining 72% is non-cultivated land. About 25% of the SEZ site is total crop land and in it double and triple crop land is less than 10%. Another 3% is horticulture land. Nearly 4.5% of the site area is fallow land which is economically not remunerative for cultivation and hence agricultural activities have been abandoned.’ (http://www.mangaloresez.com/location.php)

According to the villagers, however, there is over 1000 acres of land which falls under single crop, double crop, triple crop and plantation area (in the first phase of MSEZ alone) but the MSEZ sponsored studies show that such land is less than 100 acres of the total project land. More precisely, the double crop area is close to 300 acres but according to the MSEZ studies it is less than ten acres! When C J Mathew who is the Development Commissioner for Cochin SEZ visited this area he too couldn’t believe his eyes that the fertile land is being used for MSEZ. Moreover after his visit to the area he too was convinced that there is more double crop area than reported by the official reports.

It is indeed sad state of affairs that has befallen our country today when we have the industrialists, and not the farmers, to determine which land is agricultural and which is nonagricultural, which land is fertile and which is fallow!

For the local people, though, their land is fertile and they are not ready to part with their land. Such a contradiction between the proponents of MSEZ and its victims is indeed startling.

The Silver Lining

The project affected people of these villages have time and again exhibited brave efforts to fight against the forcible acquisition of their agricultural land. First they formed an association called ‘Samyuktha Hitarakshana Samithi’ which mainly consisted of the project affected people from the villages of Bajpe, Permude, Kalavar. But unfortunately, those whom they elected as their leaders didn’t last long as their representatives to support the cause that they were chosen for! The leaders of ‘Samyuktha Hitarakshana Samithi’ soon became negotiators with the MSEZ officials and the ‘battle for land’ was easily won by the MSEZ. The people obviously were stranded and they are yet to come to terms with this betrayal by those whom they thought ‘their own’. It still is a shock for them as to who and what conspired this depressing and helpless situation, leading to the acquisition of 1,800 acres of their land for the first phase of MSEZ. Well, it is not that villagers do not know the reason!

But, the people didn’t stop their fight. They formed another association to save the remaining 2,035 acres of land that forms the second phase of MSEZ. Thus the ‘Krishibhoomi Samrakshana Samithi’ was formed. As one of the villagers rightly admitted ‘the fact that the second phase of MSEZ has been delayed and mostly due to the ceaseless and selfless efforts of ‘Krishibhoomi Samrakshana Samithi’ and other activists, it is indeed a very great achievement, though the task is not complete.’

Their noteworthy demonstrations include Ganghigiri, (inspired by a Hindi film Lage Raho Munnabhai) where they distributed cards and local flowers to KIADB officers who they think have usurped their agricultural land for the MSEZ and the very recent greeting cards brought out on the 61^st Independence Day with the theme ‘Our Land our Freedom, Denotify our Land’.

The rich and powerful individuals in this country and sadly, though truly and amply, supported by politicians have always displayed a callous attitude towards the poor and marginalized sections of people. It is nobody’s claim that we don’t require development but we require humane development that would take care of the needs of the majority of the people and not just the greedy rich and powerful. It is in this context, that all the citizens have to join hands to stop forcible acquisition of agricultural land throughout the length and breadth of this country.

The present trend of development process has conveniently sidelined the importance of and contribution from farmers and this is particularly true in the case of SEZs. Though many of these SEZs have come up in areas mostly at the cost of many farmers having to sacrifice their land, rarely willingly and mostly forcibly, it is a tragedy that these farmers have not become stakeholders in this economic project. The need of the hour is a dialogue between the farmers and the MSEZ officials to determine the win-win situation for both the groups without the enterprise being detrimental to the interests of any of these groups.

Fertile land in the proposed MSEZ area