Nearly 6,200 Raigad farmers vote on Maha Mumbai SEZ

22 September 2008

Nearly 6,200 farmers in 22 villages in Pen, in Raigad district of Maharashtra voted to record their opinion on the Mukesh Ambani-promoted Maha Mumbai Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ), in the first-ever referendum over a special economic zone (SEZ) in the country.

Raigad district collector Nipun Vinayak said of 6,199 opinions had been recorded during the day.

The collector said his office had issued notices to 30,057 account holders in the area, out of which 6,199 account holders submitted their opinion.

Sources, however, pointed out that the number may in fact exceed the turn out as many farmers own multiple accounts.

The farmers came with ballots  – in white, pink and peach – handed over to them by pro- and anti-zone activists.

Pro-zone agents distributed forms, which detailed 10 conditions, including a price of Rs1 crore per acre, 15 per cent stake in the developed land, direct jobs in the SEZ or a sustenance allowance of Rs10 lakh and Rs250 daily allowance for landless labourers for a farmer to part with his land.