Not an inch of land will be given to NLCIL: Anbumani Ramadoss

Development should not be at the cost of agriculture, says the PMK youth wing leader

PMK youth wing leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Sunday said not an inch of land would be given to NLC India Ltd. (NLCIL) for its proposed Mines I and II expansion and Mines III project.

Addressing a meeting at Siruvarappur village after ascertaining the view of a section of landowners and farmers whose lands could be acquired for the project, Dr. Ramadoss said the NLCIL had planned to acquire over 25,000 acres of land from 49 villages in Cuddalore district for its expansion and new projects.

Pointing out that the Public Sector Undertaking had acquired 36,000 acres of land when it commenced operations in Neyveli in 1956, he said the NLCIL could make use of the existing lands. The existing reserves in Neyveli would last over 30 years. Hence, no new land was required for their expansion, he said.

Dr. Ramadoss claimed that Cuddalore district’s land and environmental degradation started after the NLCIL set foot in the district. “The PSU snatched around 36,000 acres of land from landowners in 44 villages and sucked the groundwater out for its projects. The district’s artesian wells from which water naturally reached the ground depleted. The depth in groundwater levels has seen a steep decrease from eight feet 40 years ago to 800-1,200 feet now,” he said.

NLCIL’s total net worth had now touched ₹54,000 crore and the PSU was raking in profits of ₹11,500 crore annually. “But what has NLCIL done for the people of the district,? he asked.

While the PSU gave tall assurances to people who gave away their lands for its projects, the promises remained unfulfilled. The PSU was yet to implement the Supreme Court directive on regularisation of contract workmen, Dr. Ramadoss said.

While the NLCIL was based in the State and continued to acquire land for its upcoming projects, a large number of permanent employees in the PSU were recruited from Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh. People of the State, particularly those from the district, continued to be let down by the NLCIL, he charged.