7 June 2010
Special Correspondent
The Hindu
Seven firms have initiated process of acquiring thousands of acres through private agents
CUDDALORE: The district committee of the Communist Party of India has urged the State government to stop the indiscriminate land acquisition going on in the coastal villages of Cuddalore district for the sake of the private companies.
A resolution to this effect was passed at a meeting held at Panruti recently. It alleged that seven companies, including the Tamil Nadu Power Corporation, had initiated the process of acquiring thousands of acres through private agents who were adopting devious means, such as coercion and enticement, to force the owners to part with their property.
The CPI voiced concern that if such a trend was not reversed the farming and fishing communities would be displaced and their livelihood would be in question.
It called upon the State government to impose a ban on setting up of any more private units in the coastal areas.
NLC labour issue
In another resolution, the CPI called for the intervention of the Centre and the State government in resolving the labour issue in the Neyveli Lignite Corporation.
It noted that 18,000 regular employees of the NLC had been seeking wage revision from 2007 and 13,000 contract workmen had been urging the NLC management to honour the tripartite agreement signed Delhi two years ago for regularising their services.
The CPI noted that the NLC management which boast of having netted a profit of Rs 1,247 crore last fiscal was reluctant to concede the rightful demands of the workforce who were behind its impressive performance.
In yet another resolution, the CPI stated that the State government should own up responsibility for the erratic power supply and unannounced power cuts, and, could not gloss over its lapses by blaming the political parties and the previous government for the present state of affairs.
The continued power cut had severely affected the small industries, farmers and commercial establishments and curtailed productivity, to the extent of affecting the State’s economy.
The CPI called upon the State government to take appropriate steps for getting its due share from the central power grid to meet its requirements. Those who participated included State committee member A.P.Nagarajan, district secretary T.Manivasagam, deputy secretary M.Sekar, treasurer S.P.Govindasamy and others.