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After facing outrage from the farmers' associations and organisations of the state, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday revoked the Goondas Act imposed on six of seven farmers who were detained by the Tiruvannamalai district collector on Thursday for protesting against Cheyyar SIPCOT expansion project.
According to the Department of Information and Public relation of Tamil Nadu, the farmers were detained under Sub-section (1) of Section 3 of the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Cyber Law Offenders, Drug Offenders, Forest Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, Sand Offenders, Sexual Offenders, Slum Grabbers and Video Pirates Act, 1982 -- popularly called the Tamil Nadu Goondas Act. "7 who belong to Cheyyar their family gave a petition to Cheyyar MLA to revoke Gundaas act. They also gave a petition to Minister Velu in person. In that petition they mentioned in future they won't oppose government schemes without any proper reasons. By accepting the petition and request of Public Works Department Minister Velu, Chief Minister MK Stalin ordered to revoke of the Gundaas act against six people," the statement said. However, a farmer from Krishnagiri district, Arul, is still being detained under the Act. The state government had proposed to acquire land for Phase-III (Melma-SIPCOT) of the SIPCOT (State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Ltd) project near Cheyyar. The farmers had been holding non-violent protests against a government order to acquire 3,300 acres of agricultural land in nine village panchayats of Cheyyar assembly constituency in Tiruvannamalai district for expansion of SIPCOT industrial estate. However, in the statement, Stalin said that the proposed project would create employment for the people of the state. "Because of the huge success of SIPCOT, we received petitions from people to expand the SIPCOT with phase 3. For this, around Cheyyar 3,174 acres were calculated and from this only 8 acres are wetlands. As of now, we have announced the acquisition of 1200 acres of land only. From 1881 owners of land only 239 landowners were against the land acquisition. Government is implementing this plan by expanding SIPCOT for the benefit of people of that region in terms of employment opportunity and economic development," he said. He also said that as there are no big industries in Tiruvannamalai District and SIPCOT creates more employment opportunities for the people of Cheyyar and Vembakkam. "Men and women of various villages belonging to poor backgrounds got benefit from this. Families of that region are improved economically," he added. (ANI)
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