All of us have already read and heard a lot about Singur, Nandigram, and Asansol burning on the issue of land acquisition by big business houses for proposed factories. Now to add more to the issue is another project by the Tata Group in Tirunelveli and Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu.

Violence keeps flaring in West Bengal on the issue, which the villagers state has deprived them off their lands that is their only source of livelihood. The situation in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli and Tuticorin seems to be heading in the same direction, where also villagers either demand a better resettlement package or their lands back.

Backed by the state government, the Tata group is planning to build Rs 2,500-crore titanium-di-oxide project in Tuticorin. It states that since the project is in a rain shadow area, the Tatas propose to construct a seawater desalination plant together with a power plant. But, as has happened in Singur, it is apprehended that political parties particularly opposition would leave no stone unturned to pile on their vote bank. Therefore, it is anybody’s guess that situation in southern Tamil Nadu is ripe for violence.

Instead of running for the vote bank, the opposition parties too need to contribute peace rather than add to turmoil and incite ignorant villagers against the project.

State government must learn a lesson from what has been happening in Singur and initiate talks with the aggrieved people to settle on a proper compensation and resettlement package. Displaced must be resettled at any cost. Else, what is industrialization use of if people for whom it is meant only suffer for the same? Industrialization must aim to save people from poverty and unemployment, but not at least at the cost of their livelihood.

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Via: Zee News