CM warned over attempts to foist SEZs on Goa
The SEZ Virodhi Manch has warned Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat that any attempts by the Ministers in his government or by other vested interests in Goa or by the Ministry of Commerce to foist the SEZs on Goa under any label or force the pace of industrialisation by any other scheme will be resisted by Goans will all their might. In a letter to the Chief Minister, the SEZ Virodhi Manch while appreciating the recommendation to the government of India to scrap all SEZs, including the three notified ones in Goa, has expressed deep concern about recent media reports suggesting that the promoters of notified SEZs should served show cause notices and that they should be invited for discussion on the payment of compensation. The Manch has said the Goa government should flatly refuse to pay compensation to the SEZ promoters. On the contrary, the Manch has asserted that the promoters should be compelled to pay heavy compensation to the people for rampant hill-cutting, land-filling, rock blasting and other destruction carried out on the allotted land without authorisation from the competent authority. "The GIDC has no authority under SEZ Act to issue any permission to do hill cutting or developers. Construction activities have taken place before the SEZs were notified. Hence, all the constructions initiated in the SEZs are illegal', the Manch maintained. Saying that bore-wells sunk by the SEZ promoters at Keri and Verna have affected sub-soil water levels in surrounding areas and that wells and springs have dried up, the Manch said this ecological disaster should be investigated and the promoters made to compensate the respective villagers. Requesting the Chief Minister to instruct the GIDC to cancel the land allotment they had made and to resume the land they had alloted, the Manch said the land can be utilised in the future for purposes only after involving the Gram Sabhas of the local Panchayats in all future procedures for the use of this land. Reminding the Chief Minister about the demand for a CBI inquiry into the fraudulent allotment of land to the SEZ promoters by the GIDC, the Manch said the criminal compliant made with the Goa police is yet to be registered as an FIR. "Such inaction on the part of the government gives reason for suspicion', the Manch said and hoped the government does not force Goans to resort to agitations again to seek justice.