Goans will not allow SEZs in Goa: Virodhi Manch
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, MARCH 12
The SEZ Virodhi Manch has warned that Goans would not allow any SEZs in any form anywhere in the state of Goa and strongly demanded that the state government vigorously pursue the matter of de-notification of the three notified SEZs at the highest level at the centre.
Strongly condemning the reported statements of Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jyotiraditya Scindia, SVM Convenor Charles Fernandes said statements by the Union Minister and the refusal by the Ministry of Commerce to de-notify the notified SEZs in Goa speak volumes of the nexus between the Centre and the SEZ promoters.
“The statements also expose the monetary gratifications received by the Ministry to make such decisions and statements days before the matter is taken up for final hearing on March 15, 2010 deliberately intending to support the case of the SEZ promoters”, he said.
Fernandes said the people fail to understand how the Union Minister can speak on refund of duties and exemptions, already availed by the developers for authorised activities when not even a single structure has come up on the allotted land and no activities have begun. Moreover, he said SVM has repeatedly stated that no compensation should be paid to SEZ promoters for illegal construction on the fraudulently allotted lands when the constructions have not even taken place on the lands that have come up without appropriate approval from competent authorities.
He said the State government has officially requested the Centre to de-notify the three SEZs bowing down to the wishes of the people and has further even withdrawn the SEZ policy for the State. “Therefore, SEZs cannot be set up without an SEZ policy existing in the state”, he added.
Fernandes said the Comptroller and Auditor General of India in its annual report has also exposed the nexus between the GIDC and SEZ promoters in the fraudulent allotments of land for SEZs which was actually required for setting up industrial estates defeating the very purpose of land acquisition and further causing huge losses in hundreds of crores of rupees to the state exchequer by allotting the same at throw away rates, adding that the people fail to understand why the Opposition is mute over the matter when in fact they should be demanding accountability from the government.
