SEZ Virodhi Manch threatens stir, to hold rally on Nov 21

HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, OCT 24
Agitated by the government’s indifferent attitude towards SEZ (special economic zones) issue, the SEZ Virodhi Manch is in the process of reviving its agitation and will hold a mass rally at Lohia Maidan on November 21 to expose the government on its alleged “double talk” and demand cancellation of the SEZ policy, and also compel the government to hold CBI inquiry against officials of the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) for alleged fraudulent allotment of industrial plots to SEZ developers.
The SEZ Virodhi Manch spokesperson Praveen Sabnis told a press conference on Friday here that the government has not scraped the SEZ Policy nor ordered investigation into “fraudulent allotment” of plots to SEZ developers even as a police complaint was filed a year ago.
He alleged that government’s so far response has been lukewarm -- persistent refusal of the government to withdraw the SEZ Policy exposes hidden agenda of the government.
The SVM has warned the government not to take the people of Goa for a ride by allowing Goa to be monopolised by a few real estate giants under the guise of setting up industry, all the while advising Goan youth to set up their own small scale industry without offering them any concessions.
Condemning the statements by Union Commerce Minister Kamal Nath that land allotted by GIDC to SEZ developers could remain with those developers to enable them to develop industry under normal rules and regulations of the GIDC, even after scrapping of the SEZ, Sabnis said, on November 21 government would be given a deadline to act on demands made.
He said, the entire allotment of about 40 lakh sq meters to SEZ promoters in three different villages are earmarked as industrial estates by the government and declared as notified areas , and hence it is unfair and goes against the rules to allow allotted land to be used by SEZ developers. It strongly demanded that vast tracks of land allotment at Verna, Keri and Sancoale made to five real estate developers by GIDC should be taken back before it goes into hands of real estate sharks.