Turmoil over Khed SEZ: CM Devendra Fadnavis to chair meeting

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Shetti’s march had started from the project-affected villages on Monday and he had halted in the temple town of Alandi. “Yesterday, post the assembly session, the chief minister had called up the district collector. He asked the collector to convey a message to me asking me to agree to a meeting with him,” he said.

Shetti said Fadnavis told him that the meeting would take place in the Mantralaya after the Assembly session is over on April 2. “The date and time of the meeting will be fixed as per convenience of both parties. Also, the chief minister has sent a letter asking me to agree to a meeting and I agreed,” he said.

Shetti wants the removal of MIDC from the land records of the 13 villages in the proposed SEZ. He is also asking KEIPL to give 15 per  cent of the developed land back to the farmers as agreed. “A special company called Khed Developers Limited was formed to return the land. That company is running into losses and we have demanded that the company be dissolved. The chief minister has agreed to talk about this also,” he said. The farmer’s leader said that the MIDC officials have sent out reports talking of problems in acquisition of more land in the region, and that a policy decision to remove MIDC’s name from land records has to be taken by the chief minister.

The land parcel in question was also surveyed for the proposed Pune Airport. MIDC officials said they were looking at 800 hectares for the proposed airport out of the 1,705 hectares. Shetti, explaining his point, said farmers are not against the airport but it should not be at the cost of interest of farmers. “…If SEZ is not happening, the land should be returned to the farmers and the government should acquire it directly from them for the airport,” he said.

Shetti pointed out that existing laws made it mandatory for MIDC to take back land earmarked for the SEZ in case no development has happened on it for five years. “Nine years have passed and no development has happened in Khed SEZ so the government should take it back and return it to the original land holders,” he said.

KEIPL, in a written statement said they are not in the airport business and as of now have no intention to enter the business. The company has said it is not interested in acquiring any more land for its project.

Refuting Shetti’s contention that no development has taken place in the SEZ, the company said that 40+ units from India, Germany, Korea, Japan, Dubai, USA have made Khed City their manufacturing base. “Villages in the vicinity would get jobs, entrepreneurs will grow & all have benefited from CSR activities. More than a 1000 youth have been skilled, got jobs & contribute to the well-being of their families,” the company’s release read.