From different directions they will assemble for one purpose.

And, it will be a history of sorts when these scattered agitations against a string of unconnected special economic zones (SEZ) across the country come together on Wednesday to kick off a unified movement against the policy that helps set up these zones.

After a day of deliberation, they will form a national anti–SEZ agenda to get the policy scrapped.

Agitators from multiple projects across 10 states representing a cross-section of the country — Tamil Nadu and Kerala from the south, Gujarat and Maharashtra from the west, West Bengal from the east and Delhi and Himachal Pradesh from the north — will participate.

With issues — right from false land acquisitions, forcible acquisitions and unwilling farmers — the discontent is varying.

“Our aim is unified and that is the reason we are coming together- as a larger force. We want to devise a national agenda that will scrap the policy altogether,” said Ulka Mahajan, convenor of the meet and founder member of the anti-Raigad SEZ group.

The Government of India (GOI) has formulated a policy for setting up SEZs in India. These zones are proposed to be specially delineated duty-free enclaves for the purpose of trade, operations, duty and tariffs, with developers getting fiscal and regulatory incentives.

These zones are self-contained and integrated having their own infrastructure and support services.

The two-day conference will see deliberations on the status of SEZ law and orientation on how the policy works followed by presentations from state representatives.

On Thursday social activist Medha Patkar and social reformer N. D. Patil will conduct a public address that will spell out the national anti –SEZ agenda.