People’s Resistance against Land Acquisition at Nandigram

Nandigram Village
Nandigram is a cluster of villages in the east Midnapur district of West Bengal. It is situated on the banks
of river Haldi. On the opposite bank lies the well-known industrial city –Haldia, which is under the
administration of the Haldia Development Authority of West Bengal Government. Although it is in such
proximity to an industrial city, the village is unaffected by development and primitive in its living
standards. The roads are rudimentary and and the transport is archaic and hazardous. The only connection
to the nearby Haldia city is by ferry. There is no bridge over the river.
Nandigram is politically well-organized under the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) which a
leading faction in the Left Front government of West Bengal. The people are totally dependent on multi-
crop land for their subsistence.
The idea of Special Economic Zone
The government of West Bengal deliberated that Haldia could made an industrial hub if Nandigram could
be acquired for Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The Government of India had introduced the concept of
SEZ in April 2000 with the object of enhancing foreign investments to promote exports from the country.
Accordingly the policy furnished that the allotted SEZs would be deemed foreign territory for the purpose
of trade operations, duties and tariffs. The state government had an important role to facilitate and provide
land for the approved projects.
The SEZs als have the advantages of income tax exemption for the first five years, permission for 100%
foreign direct investment, and hosts of other benefits. The projects may be established by private, public r
foreign firms or as combination of their partnerships.
This was a fast-track development programme and the development starved people of Nandigram were
expected to welcome it. Haldia Petrochemicals as well as Indian Oil Corporation had already created over
one lakh jobs. Now, the government believed, if Nandigram too could be integrated into the project, an
even greater opportunity for employment could be created.
Moving ahead with the idea
The government of West Bengal zeroed in on an Indonesian firm called Salim Group for a 50-50
partnership with West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation. The Salim Group wanted 35000 acres
of land. Apart from the chemical industrial set-up the Group would also construct 100 km long 100m wide
Eastern-link expressway and a four-lane road bridge over the Haldi river, connecting Haldia city to
Nandigram. Both the road and the bridge would be connected to National Highway 34.
Upbeat with the very idea of potential benefits that may accrue to the local community as well as the state
government, the government started the process of land acquisition which would eventually affect around
40,000 people.
Formation of Anti-Land Acquisition Committee
Soon after the government started the process of land acquisition, the divisions in the mind started
reflecting on the ground. The like-minded people in the political spectrum shifted and public opinions
started forming and along with it originated an association called Bhumi-Uchchhed Pratirodhi Committee
(BUPC). The resistance movement was started by the activists of the Trinmool Congress, splinter groups
from CPI (M), Forward Block activists, Naxalites and Maoists etc. The primary objective of BUPC was to
prevent the government from acquiring land in Nandigram by all possible means and to protect the
traditional sources of livelihood for the people in the village.

Anti-climax
By 2007, the scenario worsened as both the state and BUPC assumed tough stand. On 15 March 2007, 11
people were killed when the state police opened fire on activisits who were opposing the government to
take possession of the land. Moreover 50 people were injured during the police action. In October, armed
activists of CPI (M) entered Nandigram and as aresult 25,000 villages took refuge in neighbouring villages
out of fear. In BUPC-CPI (M) clash, two people died. Many people died again in December in the fight
between BUPC and CPI (M) activists.

The violent incidents were criticized across the world. Under tremendous pressure, the government shifted
the venue for SEZ to a new location at Nayachar, 30 km from Haldia.
(Source: Albuquerque, D. (2010). Business Ethics: Principles and Practices. New Delhi: Oxford University
Press)
Course Outlines

Ethics
Course Outlines
Ethics: Meaning, Evolution, Definition and Scope
Ethical Issues in Business: Honesty, Fairness, Integrity, Discrimination, Corruption,
Fraud, Insider Trading, Environmental Issues, Intellectual Property Rights, Sexual
Harassment, Privacy Issues
Application of Ethical Standards in Business: Duties of manufacturers, consumers
rights, Ethical consumption, Fairplay in business, Ethical advertising
Ethical Decision-making: Moral philosophies and values, Framework of Ethical
Decision-making, Organizational factors affecting ethical decision-making process
Developing an Effective Ethics Programme: Ethical responsibilities of the
organizations, Need for Organizational Ethics Programme, Codes of Conduct, Ethics
Training and Communication, Enforcing and Monitoring Ethical Standards
Implementing and Auditing Ethics Programmes: Ethics Audit, Auditing Process,
Strategic Importance of Ethics Auditing

Suggested Readings:
O C Ferrell, John Fraedrich & Linda Ferrell, Business Ethics: A Case Perspective,
Cengage Learning
A C Fernando, Business Ethics: An Indian Perspective, Pearson Education
Daniel Albuquerque, Business Ethics: Principles and Practices, Oxford University Press
Manuel G Velasquez, Business Ethics: Concepts and Cases, Prentice Hall of India
Marianne M. Jennings, Cases in Business Ethics, Cengage Learning
Robert A Peterson & O C Ferrell, Business Ethics: New Challenges for Business Schools
and Corporate Leaders, Prentice Hall of India
Joseph W. Weiss, Business Ethics: Concepts and Cases, Cengage Learning