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AdubiousGIFT

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ByManshiAsherandSayantoniDatta
GujaratInternationalFinanceTechCity(GIFT),tocomeupinGandhinagar,isbeingpromotedasIndia'slargest
multiservicesfinancialhub.Tobebuiltmostlyoncommongrazinglandsgrabbedfromsurroundingvillagesand
bypanickingfarmersintosellingtheiragriculturalland,itisyetanotherinstanceofhowcommercialinterestsare
favouredattheexpenseofthepoor

HowMundrabecame
India'sRotterdam
InsidetheSEZcauldron
Goa:Howthebattlewas
won
Farmersuicides
rampantinMP,
Chhattisgarhtoo

Livelihoods

Environment
Waterresources

'Indiaisthelastgiant
marketleftintheworld
protectit'

Governance

R&DshyIndianfirms
maytripoverdrugs
patents

Some58memorandumsofunderstanding(MoUs),amountingtoRs7,801croresofinvestment,weresignedfor
locationsinGandhinagarduringthemuchhyped'VibrantGujarat'summitsinthelastfewyears.SevenSpecial
EconomicZones(SEZs)and10industrialestateshavebeenplannedacrosstheinfrastructurallybooming

Poverty

Thegrowingrevolt
againstdisposability

Protectingvanilla
farmersagainstglobal
cartels

DuringaridefromAhmedabadairportthroughvibrantGujarat'sgrowingcapitalcity,Gandhinagar,onesees
glossybillboardsofChiefMinisterNarendraModi,symbolisingthestate'sleadonthehighwaytogrowth.

Foodsecurity

Humanrights

TheSEZversusthe
'unrewarding'smallfarm
StalemateatSingur

ReportsinthemediaaboutDubai'seconomicdebaclehavebeenaccompaniedbyimagesofshimmering
concretestructuresordustyconstructionsiteswithonethingincommon:hoardingsintheforegroundcarrythe
faceofthemanwhocraftedDubai'sgrandvision.AndeventhoughtheIndiangovernmenthasrepeatedly
assuredusthatIndia'seconomyisinsulatedfromDubai'sfall,onecannothelpbutfindaresonancebetween
DubaiandsomeofIndia'sfastestmovingeconomies,themostprominentbeingGujarat.

SPECIALSECTIONS

Beware,theterm
'sustainable
development'hasbeen
hijacked
Westerncowvs
Southernfarmer:The
absurdityofinequality
MORE

Publichealth
HIV/AIDS
Globalisation
Tradeanddevelopment
UrbanIndia
Women
Children
Population
Media
Education

Gandhinagar.Butthefatherofallprojects,whichhasbeenthetalkofthetowndespitealleffortstokeepithush
hush,istheGujaratInfrastructureFinanceTechCityalsoreferredtoastheGIFTCity.ItwillbeIndia'slargest

Corporateresponsibility

multiservicesfinancialhub,jointlydevelopedbytheGujaratUrbanDevelopmentCorporation(GUDC)and
InfrastructureLeasingandFinancialServices(IL&FS).

Disasters

TheprojectdocumentsclaimthattopersuadefinanceandtechcompaniestorelocatetoGIFTfromMumbai,
Bangalore,andGurgaon,thehubwilldevelop"betterinfrastructurethanManhattan,NewYorkCityofLondon

Disabilities

Pudong,ShanghaiNishiShinjuku,TokyoandtheDubaiInternationalFinancialCentre"andthattooatalower
price!Andwhynot?Costsareneveraconsiderationwhenpublicresourcesarefreelyavailable,themostcrucial

Technology

ofthembeingland.
GrabbingtheCommons
"TheentirevillagepasturelandnowbelongstoGIFTCity,"saysArjanbhai,apanchayatwardmemberof
Phirojpur,pointingtoabarbedwirefenceontheothersideofwhichlieundulatingravinescrubandpasture
lands.Beyondthisaretheskeletalremainsofarivermadedry.Trenchesprobablyformedbyseasonalstreams
drainingintotheriverduringthemonsoonsarenowinterruptedbyahighkuchcharoad.Thevillagesaroundstill
practiseagriculture,defiantoftheurbansprawlaround.TheAhmedabadInternationalAirportis12kmfrom
here,Gandhinagarcity8km,andthefourlaneNH8istotheeastofthevillages.LivinguptotheSEZstereotype,
GIFThaschosentheperfectlocation,wherelandwillsoonbeworththepriceofgold.
InJuly2007,500acresofpasturelandandrevenuewastelandbelongingtothreevillagesPhirojpur,
RatanpurandShahpurwerehandedovertotheGujaratUrbanDevelopmentCorporationfortheGIFTCity
SEZ.TheNoEncumbrancesCertificate(NEC),indicatingirrevocablerightstodevelopthearea,grantedbythe
tehsilrevenueofficial(mamlatdar),states:Theaforesaidlandisvacantandcontiguous.Theentirelandareaof
theSEZcanbefencedandtherewillnotbeanythoroughfarethroughthelandareaproposedforthe
MultiservicesSEZ.
WhentheNECwasgranted,thepeopleofthethreevillages,whoselandwasinvolved,hadlittleideathatthe
transferhadtakenplace,despitethefactthatpasturelandsareunderthegovernanceofthepanchayats,without

whosenoobjectioncertificatethelandscannotbedivertedorsold.
Theselands,whichhadacaciaandscrubforests,formedanimportantpartofthevillageeconomy,servingthe
needsoffodder,fuelwoodaswellasnontimberforestproduceforthepoorestcommunities.Forinstance,in
Ratanpurvillage,theDantanis,anOBCcommunity,collectedandsoldfuelwoodanddantun(locallyusedfor
dentalcleaning)fromtheforestsontheselandsastheironlysourceofsustenance.
"WeheardabouttheGIFTprojectonlyfromthenewspapers,"saysVaghela,aresidentofRatanpur.Theland
transferonlybecameasubjectofdebateandevenoppositionbecausethelandalsoincludedtheshamshaanor
thevillageburialandfuneralground.Whilethesarpanchwasinitiallyunderpressurefromtheresidents,later,
peopleclaim,hewaspaidRs50lakhforkeepingquiet.
MaliBen,aRabari,atraditionallivestockrearingcommunity,saysthatherfamilyearlierhad105headofcattle.
Withdisappearinggowchars(commongrazingland),theyhavehadtoreducethenumber,sincestallfeeding
andbuyingfodderismoreexpensive.ApartfromthelivestockofPhirojpurandRatanpur,morethan15,000
cattlebelongingtotheRabarisofneighbouringValadalsograzedontheselands.
Bytransferringthisland,theGovernmentofGujarathasviolateditsownpolicynormof40acresgowcharland
pervillageforeverylivestockpopulationof100.Thepolicyalsorequiresthatwhenpasturelandsarediverted,
thegovernmenthastoallotanalternativeareaforgrazinganimals,andhastodeposittheamountthathasbeen
collectedfromsaleofthelandswiththepanchayat.Noneoftheserequirementshasbeenfulfilledforthesethree
villages,accordingtothelocalpeople.Infact,aRighttoInformationresponsefromthemamlatdar'soffice
concealsthetotalareaoflandinvolvedintheprojectandstatesthatallofthisisintherevenuewasteland
categoryhavingbeensoldforaroundRs173croretoGUDC.
Trappingthefarmer
Thediversionoftherevenueandpasturelandswasjustthebeginningoftheplotwhichthickenedfastand
furiously.Whenthegowcharlandswerediverted,therewaspanicamongstthefarmerswhoownedlandalong
itsperiphery.Thefearthattheirlandswouldsoonbeacquiredbythegovernmentatapricemuchlowerthanthe
marketratewasnottotallyunfounded,consideringthatlandacquisitionnoticeshadbeenservedfor11acresof
farmlandlockedwithingowcharlandandthatthegovernmentwasofferingameagreRs41/sqmforthesame.
ThiswasconfirmedbythelandacquisitionofficerattheGandhinagarrevenueofficewhorefusedtogoon
recordwithanystatementsonthesubject.
"Reactingtorumoursfloatedbylanddealers,whoalsohappentobelandlordsfromthevillage,thatallofthis
landwouldultimatelybeacquired,farmersinRatanpurandPhirojpursoldoffpartormostoftheirlandsatrates
varyingfromRs5to20lakhperbigha,"saysKarsonbhai,aDarbarfarmerfromPhirojpur,whohasnowbeen
reducedtoasharecropperafterhespentallthemoneyfromthelandsaleinrenovatinghishouseandgetting
hissonsmarried.
Today,thosesameplotsofland,whichhavechangedseveralhands,includingalargenumberofpoliticiansand
bureaucrats,accordingtolocalsources,arepricedatRs60to70lakhperbigha.Localssaythatapproximately
86acresofprivatefarmlandinRatanpurand50acresinPhirojpurwassoldinthelastyearandahalf,owingto
thisdynamic.Theyalsoaddthatsomepanchayatandrevenueofficialsareengagedinthewheelingand
dealingofthelocallandmarkets.
InValad,nexttoPhirojpur,whichislikelytocomeintothefoldoftheGIFTCityprojectsoonerorlater,the
panchayathadresolvedthatthegovernmentwastelandshouldbeallottedforhomesteadoragricultural
purposestothelandlessfamiliesbutthisproposalwasrejected.
"ThegovernmentprobablyhasplanstoallotthislandtotheGIFTCitySEZ,"PankajVyas,thesarpanchofValad
saysangrily."Thegovernmentreadilysellstheselandstothecrorepatis(millionaires)insteadofrespondingto
thepanchayat'sdecisionofallottingittothepoorfamilies."
GirishPatel,eminenthumanrightslawyer,states,OurConstitutionstatesthatthematerialresourcesofthe
communityshouldnotbeusedexceptforpublicinterestandnottotheadvantageofoneparty.Butprojectslike
GIFTCityhaveturnedconstitutionalprinciplesontheirheads.
AglanceattheslickdesignoftheGIFTCityrevealsthattheprojectisbeingdesignedontheSabarmatiriverfront
withatunnelbridgerunningrightacrosstheriver.Theironyisthatthisriver,whichistohaveacityof
skyscrapersalongitsbanks,hasbeendeadforover20years!ThelandlessRawals,classifiedasOther
BackwardCastes,recallthattheycultivatedcucumbers,watermelonsandseveralvegetablesintheriverbed,to
leadafairlyprosperouslife.
"Tyaretojalsahata(thatwasafestivetime),"anoldRawalwomansayscomparinglifethentothepresent,when
gettingeventwosquaremealsisastruggle.ThediversionoftheSabarmatitotheDharoidamin1991toprovide
watertoAhmedabadcityandpartsofNorthGujaratwasabigblowtotheentireregionbecauseitplayedan
importantroleinnotonlycreatingafertileriverbedforhundredsofRawalfamilies,butalsorecharging
groundwater.TheeventualdryingupoftheSabarmatihasbeenoneofthecriticalfactorsinthefalling
groundwaterlevels,whichinturnhasaffectedagricultureinthearea.
MysterysurroundsthequestionofhowexactlytheSabarmatiwillbebroughttolifefortheGIFTCity.Butone
thingisclear:shouldthisnightmarishdreamprojectmaterialise,theresidentsofvillagessuchasPhirojpurand
Ratanpurareunlikelytobebeneficiariesoftheriversrebirthconsideringthattheyarealreadythevictimsofthis
blueprint.
Rulesthataremeanttobebroken
Shockingly,theGandhinagarUrbanAreaDevelopmentAuthority(GUDA),whichnowcovers39villagesandthe

GandhinagarCapitalin387sqkm,hasmarkedthesevillagesasa'hitechagriculturezone'becauseoftheir
flourishingfloriculturehorticultureoperations.NocommercialcomplexfiguresintheareaintheGUDAplan
map,whichwasnotifiedin2000andisyettobeimplemented.
"AccountabilityisanonissueinGandhinagar,whichhasnoelectedmunicipalcorporation.Itisafiefdomofthe
stategovernment,"statesMalikaSarabhai,whocontestedfromthisconstituencyinthe2009LokSabhaelection,
againstBJPleaderLKAdvani,thewinningMPfromheresince1998.
IntheabsenceofademocraticbodyitisobviouswhyfewpeopleactuallyknowabouttheexistenceofGUDA
anditsplan.Thosewhodo,saytheyknowthattheimplementationisbeingstalledbythebuilderlobby.
GUDAshouldobviouslyfollowregulations,butthesewouldhamperthecurrentconstructionactivitiesof
developers.Also,thepriceoftheagriculturallandwouldriseonceGUDA'splanisimplementedandthe
proponentsoftheGIFTprojectwouldliketohaveitaseasyaspossible.Theyhaveevenmanagedtoget
environmentalclearancefortheprojectatthestatelevel.
AspertheEnvironmentImpactAssessmentnotification2006,whileSEZprojectsinvolvingcommercialactivity
aremostlytobeassessedatthecentrallevel,townshipprojectsaretreatedmoreliberally,requiringastatelevel
assessmentandnoenvironmentclearancepublichearings.InGIFTCity'senvironmentclearanceletter,theterm
SEZisconspicuousbyitsabsenceandtheprojecthasbeenassessedasa'townshipandconstruction'project.
Despitethefactthatitisgoingtosprawlover323hectaresonthegroundand410metresvertically(probablythe
highestinIndia),withhugewaterandpowerrequirements,theprojectgotagreensignalfromthestate
EnvironmentImpactAuthority.Theenvironmentclearanceletteralsostatesthelandfortheprojectis
GovernmentWastelandandnoR&Rissuesareinvolvedintheproject.
IthasbeenmorethantwoyearssincetheGIFTprojectwasannounced.Goingbyprojections,thefirstphase
shouldhavebeennearingcompletionwithmillionsemployedbynow.Butontheground,thereisnothingbuta
barbedwirefenceandakachcharoad.AccordingtotheIndustriesCommissionerateonly20%oftheMoUs
signedaspartofVibrantGujarathavematerialised.AndGIFTisoneofthemanyprojectsinGandhinagarthat
arelanguishingduetotheglobalrecessionwhichhitSEZsandotherrealestateprojects.ImagesofDubai's
boom,andthebustthatfollowed,resurfaceinthemind.Floatingamidstthesesomewherearethefacesofthe
Sabarmatipeople.
(ManshiAsherandSayantoniDattaareindependentresearchers.Thisarticleisbasedontheirresearchpaperto
bepublishedbytheCentreforPolicyResearchandCentreDeSciencesHumainesinabookprojecttitledThe
PoliticsofSEZsinIndia)
InfochangeNews&Features,January2010

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