Irrigation report good news for Raigad special zone

Thousands of farmers in 22 villages of Raigad district, who had voted against the Reliance-promoted special economic zone (SEZ) because they wanted to irrigate their land using a nearby Hetavane dam reservoir, reports Dharmendra Jore.

Thousands of farmers in 22 villages of Raigad district, who had voted against the Reliance-promoted special economic zone (SEZ) because they wanted to irrigate their land using a nearby Hetavane dam reservoir, are likely to be told to shun their farming plans.

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A top source in the government said requesting anonymity on Thursday that the Irrigation Department has observed in its report that only 10 per cent of the farmers who took part in the referendum last September would benefit in future from water reservoir. In that case, the government would not meet the villagers’ demand that their farms be deleted from the Reliance SEZ.

The villagers argued that their land that was notified for SEZ — some 3,000 hectares of total 10,000 hectares — falls under the command area of the Hetavane dam.

The farmers had demanded a referendum. The government held the opinion poll on September 21, 2008 and it promised to declare results within a month.

But the administration has not come out with results blaming the delay on the extra time that the Irrigation Department has taken to file its report.

Ulka Mahajan, convener of Forum Against Globalisation, said the farmers’ delegation would meet Irrigation Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday. “We have already met Revenue Minister and officers concerned in this regard.”