Land Acquisition Policy and Social Violence: A Study of Kakinada Special Economic Zone, Andhra Pradesh State, India

Abstract

The social violence unleashed by developmental projects has reached unimaginable proportions in the developing societies like India with land acquisition, displacement, dispossession, loss of livelihoods being the main consequences of it. Projects undertaken in the name of development are posing a serious threat to millions of people attracting widespread protests from them. Development related violence is manifest in the form of land acquisition, displacement and violence is sought to be camouflaged in the name of development. The setting up of the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) is an important initiative in this process. This study critically examines the development induced violence by taking up the case of special economic zones launched in India which have resulted in the displacement of thousands of families through the acquisition of their farm lands and rendering them landless and homeless and thereby contributing to their distress. Through the case study of the Kakinada Special Economic Zone in the state of Andhra Pradesh State, India, which has witnessed large scale rural unrest mass protests, this paper attempts an in-depth analysis of displacement, dispossession and violence thus induced on various sections of society and the resultant disarray in the social fabric of villages effected by it