Top officials studying impact of new agri zone move

What will happen to the already sanctioned commitment by the Centre for extracting hydrocarbon and methane through private and public sector company are also the catch 22 situation being pondered by the bureaucrats.

“We are studying the impact that it would cause for the realtors and other industries. Particularly the non-agriculture related investors will now be apprehensive about the agricultural zone,” said a senior official adding that more than three government departments and district collectorates in the Delta will work on the recent high-profile announcement by the Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.

“With the Chief Minister and the Leader of Opposition MK Stalin locking horns over the agricultural zone issue questioning the sanctioned methane and hydrocarbon projects, the real estate industry is already concerned. New investors will now refrain from Delta region, where protests by farmers are common. However, the announcement will help the farmers to protect the ecosystem and the move will promote the agriculture-related industrial activities,” the official said. “Every action will have an equal and opposite reaction and there are fears among the realtors and investors that the proposed special agricultural zone announced will now have more real estate restrictions,” opined a real estate promoter.

Realtors worried

“We are already hit by the Coastal Zone Regulation Act and this agricultural zone announcement will also restrict the construction of big buildings in Thanjavur- Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts, where a lot of educational institutions are based, the relator rued.

CREDAI hopeful

However, CREDAI Tamil Nadu’s past president N Nandakumar is positive over the development. “We have to wait for the final draft in this regard, but the announcement is a welcome move. Each zone has a speciality. What suits the environment should now be promoted through the protective zone norms,” Nandakumar said. “I don’t know what will happen to the commitments already made by the Centre to certain companies in the Delta region. However, the new announcement will boost the local agricultural economy which includes the cold chain facilities,” Nandakumar added. Welcoming the move, Prakash Challa, chairman, CREDAI, national advisory council noted that the proposed agriculture zone will not impact the business activities of the state. There is enough land throughout the state to promote other industries and there is a need to protect the Delta region, he said.

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday led the state cabinet meeting to discuss the proposed special agricultural zone for Cauvery Delta region. The meeting discussed setting up a team of legal experts to frame legislation that will give legal sanctity. Other issues about sanctioned projects in the Delta region were also discussed. Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvalm also took part in the meeting. According to Secretariat sources, the Ministers during an informal discussion also discussed the local body polls for the urban areas.