destruction by Raheja continues

Dated: 19/08//200/8
Press Release
The SEZ Virodhi Manch expresses disgust at the double standards of the government of making empty statements/promises with regard to the scrapping of SEZs from Goa. At the ground level work and full scale destruction activity is taking place by the Raheja SEZ at Verna. When the Government withdrew its Stop Work Notices issued to SEZ Promoters from the High Court on procedural lapses, it promised the citizens of Goa that fresh Show Cause Notices in accordance with the law would be issued to the Promoters of SEZs in Goa. Till date, there has not been a single Show Cause Notice issued to the promoters, on the contrary, the Government has allowed the promoters to re-start work by its inactions.
Despite several representations to de-notify the Special Economic Policy from the State, the Government of Goa has not done so, which exposes their malicious intentions.
It may be recollected that when the villagers entered the Meditab SEZ at Keri and the Raheja SEZ at Verna on 7 and 10 December 2007, the print and electronic media was witness to statements made by their liaison-officers talking of "verbal permissions given by the GIDC”.
Today, 19th August, 2008 the people from various villages after learning that the works at the Raheja SEZ at Verna had been restarted entered the site in large numbers and forced the workers to stop work and leave the site. It is deploring that time and again the people are compelled to forget their daily chores to fight for their rights while the Government repeatedly fools the people. Repeatedly it is the people who have to enter the SEZ premises and force the SEZ promoters to stop work. Till date the people have not resorted to any violence but they also should not be taken for granted. The people have made their intentions clear that they will not allow the works to go on at any costs and warn the Govt. that it will be solely responsible for the outburst of any violence in future. The SVM is surprised that now many MLA’s belonging to the ruling and opposition parties who used to sing anti-SEZ tunes have conveniently forgotten the same. The SVM now demands from all those anti SEZ MLA.’s to bring up the issue before the Assembly session in progress and demand passing of a bill scrapping the SEZ policy existing in the State. This will prove their sincerity over the issue.
The SVM calls for immediate actions by the Government that immediate Show Cause Notices be issued procedurally to all the promoters of SEZs in Goa, register the FIR filed by villagers People’s Movement Against SEZ on 22nd October 2007 instead of criminal dilly-dallying by the Goa Police and set up CBI inquiry into the scam in the process of approvals forwarded for SEZs.
The SVM warns the Government and the SEZ promoters to desist from playing with the sentiments of Goans. The peaceful protests of the SVM should not be construed as a sign of weakness. The government should not provoke the peaceful people of Goa.
Charles Fernandes
Convenor
SEZ Virodhi Manch