'Govt must redefine Land Acquisition Act'

A lawyer by profession, Govind Pansare has been opposing land acquisition of farmers for different projects across the state. He hails from Kolhapur and is a member of the national council of Communist Party India (CPI). Pansare explained to DNA why farmers in different parts of the country, including Maharashtra, are up in arms against  forcible land acquisition. He also stressed on the need for amendment to the Land
Acquisition Act (1894).

Farmers are protesting against land acquisition in different parts of the country like NOIDA and Jaitapur.  Do you see any similarity in these agitations?
The land acquisition law made during the British period arms the government with abundant power to compulsorily acquire land in public interest without issuing notice to the land owner. Since Independence, the Indian government has acquired land for setting up industrial estates and for many other purposes. In several cases, the original purpose for which the land was acquired has been changed after acquisition.

In case of MIDC, about 50% of the plots that it has acquired for establishing industries are still unutilised. The industrialists have either done nothing after buying the plots or have transferred them to other people for higher prices.

In all such cases where the plots have remained unutilised, they should be returned back to the original owners by the state government. No one sets up a factory in the interest of common people. Making profit is the sole objective.

Therefore, there is a no need for the government to acquire the land for allotting the industrialists at cheap rate.

It is a well-known fact that in several cases, plots are acquired not to establish industries but for real estate business. It is also true that most of the scams in the country are related to land. So there is anger among the original owners of the land whether it is in NOIDA located in Uttar Pradesh or Jaitapur in Maharashtra.

But don’t you agree that industrialisation is essential for development and employment generation?
The economic survey of India 2009-10 shows that the agriculture constitutes 52.1% in total jobs and 13.2% of GDP. In other words we can say that 52% employable population has share of just 13.2% of the country’s wealth. The adoption of European and American models is not helping us in setting up labour-intensive industries. The government acquires lands from farmers who are illiterate and poor.

Later, the allotted land is given to the industries for setting up high-tech industries, which generates employment for well
educated and skilled people.

This means that by acquiring the land, the government snatches employment opportunities from poor for creating jobs for the affluent section of society. These policies are just creating inequalities.

It is also essential to understand that farming is need of the society and it is not a profit- making business. India needs labour-friendly and agro-based industries for creating more jobs for its billions of unemployed people.

What kind of amendment is essential to the Land Acquisition Act?
We need a clear definition for the public to easily understand the purpose of the act. Presently, the government arbitrarily decides what the public interest is. Again if the industries are purchasing the land, they should not be allowed to purchase surplus land for the unit.

The owners sacrificing their lands should be entitled to a share in the profit from the industry that is coming up on the land. The arable land should not be used for industrialisation. Instead of setting up industries in the localities having infrastructure, it is essential to set them up in underdeveloped areas.