The AIADMK on Wednesday alleged that Navaratna Public Sector Undertaking (PSU), NLC India Ltd. (NLCIL), had come forward to acquire lands for its third mines project in the district and provide compensation to farmers at an unreasonably low price with the tacit support of the DMK.
In a statement, Bhuvanagiri MLA A. Arunmozhithevan condemned the recently unveiled rehabilitation and resettlement policy of NLCIL and said the compensation worked out by the PSU for land acquisition was mere peanuts.
When the DMK was in opposition it had sought a compensation of ₹1 crore per acre for lands sought to be acquired by NLCIL for its project. But now the DMK government, while in power, was keeping mum exposing its total support to NLCIL, he said.
Mr. Arunmozhithevan said the NLCIL had planned to acquire about 12,500 acres in 26 villages for the project. A major portion of the land sought to be acquired fell in Bhuvanagiri Assembly constituency in Cuddalore district. “It is imperative to seek the opinion of landowners and farmers whose land was sought to be acquired for the proposed project. However, this was not done,” he charged.
“The proposed project is a revenue-generating one and NLCIL will be assured of huge returns over the next few decades. However, the compensation of ₹23 lakh per acre is grossly insufficient. Landowners and farmers will never accept the compensation amount proposed by NLCIL,’’ he said.
The NLCIL should ensure adequate compensation to the affected landowners and farmers and a job for one person from each family in the PSU, Mr. Arunmozhithevan demanded.
