Villagers challenge SEZ land allotment

HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JULY 9 — Villagers of Sancoale, Verna, and Keri-Ponda through three separate writ petitions filed before the Bombay High Court at Goa, have challenged the allotment of land to SEZ developers in the State.
The villagers have challenged the allotment of land on grounds that Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) has transferred the land in gross violation of law and in most high-handed manner. Allotment was made even without putting up an advertisement or calling for tenders or auctioning the land to the highest bidder, the petitioners alleged.
Furthermore, the GIDC is accused of making the allotments of land in total violation of the provisions of the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005 as well as State’s own SEZ policy.
The petitioners have challenged the land allotment made to M/s Peninsular Pharma Research Center Pvt Ltd, which has acquired land to set up SEZ in Sancoale, M/s Meditab Specialities Pvt Ltd in Keri Ponda and M/s K Raheja Corporation Pvt Ltd, M/s Paradigm Logistic and Distribution Pvt Ltd, M/s Inox Mercantile Co Pvt Ltd, M/s Planet View Mercantile Pvt Ltd, Maxgrow Finlease Pvt Ltd, who want to have SEZs in Verna Industrial Estate.
They have prayed for an order quashing the land allotment in the industrial estate and revert it to the original owners from whom the land was acquired.
Petitioners also want that the entire process of allotment enquired into by an independent body like the CBI or have a commission of inquiry headed either by a High Court or a Supreme Court Judge to look into the irregularities in the entire allotment procedure including the possibility of irregular graft.
The petitions have been posted for hearing on July 18.

Goa villagers petition against SEZ land allotment
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blnus/03101220.htm
PANAJI: Goa villagers have approached the Goa bench of Bombay High Courtappealing against the Special Economic Zones(SEZs) land allotment byState government-run Goa Industrial Development Corporation(GIDC). The villagers, in their petition before the court, have termed the landallotment as "fraudulent". The villagers from Keri, Sancoale and Verna, have filed a petitionchallenging GIDC's decision to allot land to these SEZs in theirvillages, on 95-year-lease basis. The petition mostly concerns three notified SEZs -- Meditab SpecialitiesPvt Ltd, K Raheja and Peninsula Pharma Research Pvt Ltd. The petition has also questioned land allotment in seven SEZs includingthese three. The villagers have complained that the land was allottedwithout involving public in the land allotment process. "In some case, the land was allotted as quick as within seven days ofthe application," Colin Gonsalves, a lawyer representing the villagers,said. GIDC which faced severe criticism for allotment of the land, has alreadyissued showcause notice to all the seven SEZ promoters. GIDC officials said that they have decided to revoke the land allotmentacting on the directives of the government. "We have issued showcause notices and final step to revoke the land willbe decided after the meet by board of directors" a senior official said.Also, SEZ issue is a hotly debated issue in the state with DigamerKamat-led government taking anti-SEZ stand bowing to the pressures ofthe masses. - PTI