Chennai, Nov 4 (IANS) Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) state president and former Union Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has called on the Tamil Nadu government to suspend the Tamil Nadu Land Consolidation (for Special Projects) Act, 2023 and withdraw it in the next Assembly session.

The PMK leader noted that the Act had come into effect on October 18, despite strong opposition from political parties, including PMK, and several farmers’ associations.

Ramadoss claimed that the Act favours private companies rather than public welfare, describing its implementation as “condemnable.”

“The Tamil Nadu Land Consolidation (for Special Projects) Act, 2023, was implemented even after opposition from PMK and numerous farmers’ organisations,” he said.

He added that the Act appears to prioritise the interests of private companies, which is unacceptable.

Ramadoss also highlighted that the state government passed the bill on April 21, 2023, allowing land acquisition for special projects without any debate in the assembly.

“As per the Act, water bodies can be acquired for infrastructure, commerce, industrial, and agricultural projects by providing alternative land, which would then be handed over to private entities. The number and extent of water bodies are already on the decline,” he explained.

The former Union Minister further pointed out that Tamil Nadu once had 41,127 lakes with a combined storage capacity of 347 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic feet), a volume greater than that of the state’s large dams.

However, he lamented that only about 27,000 lakes remain now. Since the DMK government took office, he argued, no new projects have been implemented to expand irrigated areas, urging the government to at least safeguard existing water bodies.

Ramadoss added that the Tamil Nadu government has amassed a land bank of 45,000 acres through the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT).

He questioned the necessity of a law permitting land consolidation for projects exceeding 100 acres. He also criticised the state government’s contradictory actions: on one hand, evicting residents near water bodies, and on the other, handing over these same water bodies to private companies.

Ramadoss also called for an increase in irrigated areas and the creation of new water bodies. The Special Projects Act permits project proponents to transfer land to a different location as a substitute if the designated project site contains water bodies or streams.

Moreover, if a project is classified as a “Special Project,” it may be implemented even on water bodies.