Acquisition of land for SEZ stayed

By Shariff Ameeruddin Ishaqui
Hyderabad, May 2: The AP High Court on Friday granted stay on acquisition of8056 acres ofland in Gorapudi and Lalam villages of Rambilli mandal inVisakhapatnam district for expansion of Special Economic Zone.While dealing with a writ petition filed by villagers challenging the notification of land acquisition, Justice Gopala Krishna Tamada directed that district administration should not acquire the land and not disposses the villagers till further orders.
The judge asked the petitioners to implead the then district collector as a respondent in the petition.The petitioners told the court that under the guise of expansion of SEZ,the AndhraPradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation has submitted a requisition to the government for acquisition of 8056.73 acres in different villages of Achutahapuram and Rambilli mandal, which in fact do not form part of the notified areaapproved bythe SEZs Board of the Central government initially for establishment of SEZ.